Cruel Fate, Kind Destiny
by WesDunne
Summary: A single act of kindness can ripple outward, like a stone cast into still water. When Naruto is taken in by Iruka at a young age, his life changes in ways he never could have imagined. From the untold days of Naruto's youth, small ripples will become waves to alter the destinies of those around him. AU.
1. Summer

**Cruel Fate, Kind Destiny: A Naruto Fanfic**

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**Chapter 1 – Summer**

"Again?" Umino Iruka's familiar grimace seemed a bit more pronounced today, though the scar across the bridge of his nose did not help in any amount. It was not as if these events had gotten worse, per se, but rather the frequency appeared to have spiked dramatically. "And where is he now?"

"Laughing like a madman and leading a few jounins on a chase through town," Mizuki sighed, shaking a silver-clad head. "Why the Sandaime allows him to continue living in the village is beyond me. He's a menace, discounting simply _what_ he is." There had been a pause in the man's statement that Iruka had not failed to pick up on. But then, many of the villagers and shinobi in Konohagakure had similar feelings about Uzumaki Naruto. If the boy's fate were to be placed in their hands, he would not have survived past the day of his birth.

Both instructors were standing at the base of the building that housed the Hokage's office, commonly referred to simply as the Hokage's Tower. If it had been a normal morning most of the citizens would be bustling by on their way to this or that, perhaps nodding respectfully to the two chuunin academy instructors. However, a small crowd maintained itself just behind the two, gawking, muttering angrily, and making harmless threats. The object of every person's attention was a large swath of what might be considered graffiti, depicting crude representations of the Sandaime and a handful of senior staff. To call the images rude would be the understatement of the century. Even Iruka had to admit that it would be hard to pin this prank on anybody other than the Uzumaki boy.

As the mutterings turned into increasingly outraged rabble, the scarred chuunin closed his eyes, thinking back on the words the Hokage had imparted.

"_Iruka. Naruto grew up without knowing the love of a parent and will be hated because of that incident. So, he had to pull those pranks to get everyone's attention. Whatever the form, he wanted somebody to recognize his existence."_

Iruka ground his teeth some, turning on the crowd with a sharp look that quieted even the most disgruntled onlooker. "The situation is being handled. Please return to your duties." It was a slow dispersal, but at least they left. Mizuki glanced at him with a quirked eyebrow before shaking his head and sidling off towards the academy. Iruka stared at the 'mural' for a long moment, considering his leader's words again. He had been struggling with a difficult decision for weeks since that day, but it seemed he had finally stumbled upon an answer. With a sigh and absent scratch behind an ear, he turned and leapt on to the nearest building, making his way slowly towards where he knew Naruto would be hiding.

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It had taken a few minutes, but Naruto had successfully evaded his pursuers and now sat lounging against a tree with an insufferably cheeky grin on his face. The youth was average in many ways, although his height was nothing to be jealous of. One might even consider the six-year-old cute if they could look past the six whisker-like scars on his cheeks and arguably ridiculous green aviator goggles perpetually attached to his forehead. But that was all everybody ever saw; when they looked at Naruto, it was the Kyuubi no Kitsune they saw, like a haunting memory from a dark past. The amiable blond, however, knew nothing of this history. All he knew was that the villagers hated him.

His smile faltered and began to fade as the citizens of Konoha came back to his mind. The previously elated expression soured as he pouted to himself in a low mumble. "Not my fault they don't like my artwork. Jerks." It was difficult for him to grapple with emotions and deal with hardships in life that most barely even considered. He had been an orphan from birth, or so he had been told, and no one in the village had been willing to take him in for whatever reason. The Sandaime – whom he referred to simply as 'old man – had set him up in an apartment with a weekly stipend after the orphanage had removed him from its care. Apart from the Hokage, who obviously had very little time to spend with Naruto in the first place, there was only one other person that had ever expressed a benign interest in him.

_Iruka-sensei._ The thought came as the man in question seemed to appear in front of him, arms folded and looking cross. Iruka was not actually Naruto's teacher, but for better or worse the child seemed to have 'adopted' him as a loose relative after being shown only a modicum of kindness. "Oh, hey Iruka-sensei," he chimed cheekily, with only a small amount of pink coming to his face to indicate any embarrassment at being caught. His sole role-model's petulant glare told him that a lecture was coming.

"Naruto, this is the third incident this week, and one of your worst to date. What were you thinking when you decided to publicly insult the Hokage, who has shown you nothing but good intentions your whole life?" Nothing was said about the other members included in the graffiti; Iruka knew the reaction he would get simply by mentioning Konoha's leader to the boy. "If your dream is to become the best Hokage that Konoha has ever seen, why would you do such a thing? Why, Naruto?" He knew why, but for the umpteenth time he wanted the boy to say it.

"It's funny seeing the villagers react," he glowered, averting his eyes from Iruka's chastising gaze. A quick glance back showed the chuunin's eyebrow raised as if to say 'Is that all?' Naruto sighed, folding his arms. "I don't know." The response was honest, Iruka knew; how was an six-year-old supposed to explain that his actions were meant to instigate a reaction from people in order to garner attention? The Sandaime's words echoed again in the man's mind. With a tired sigh Iruka's gate took him to the broad tree trunk, sliding down it to settle next to the troublemaker.

"Look, Naruto," he began, staring up at the summer sky. "I know you want the village to recognize you, or at the very least not spurn you at every turn." The questioning look in the boy's eyes elicited an eye-roll. "To not hate you, I mean." The blond's grimace returned swiftly at the more explicit term. The question was coming; he could see the words forming on Naruto's lips, and he held up a hand. "I've told you already: I can't tell you why they do, at least not beyond saying that they are foolish. Anyway, as I was saying, this isn't the way to go about getting people to acknowledge you. You want to become a ninja, right?" The rigorous nod confirmed the boy's passion. "And you know that to become Hokage you have to be a really strong ninja, right?" Another nod. "Then why not focus all of this energy you seem to have on training? Pick up a kunai or shuriken and do some target practice, practice sparring, or go to the library and . . ." Naruto's features had gotten darker and darker as his mentor continued, until finally he was simply staring at the ground. Iruka stopped, hesitant to inquire; the boy saved him the trouble.

"Iruka-sensei, none of the stores will sell me any ninja stuff, I can only practice my taijutsu on the wooden training posts, and the library is always closed." The chuunin had to bite his tongue to comment on the last note; the library was _never_ closed, but the keepers obviously felt the same as the shop owners did. It was hard to look at the downtrodden orphan, the child that should have been revered by all reduced to the village prankster because of unreasonable cruelty. Iruka stamped down a righteous anger building in his chest before continuing.

"I want to ask you something, Naruto," he began hesitantly, not sure if even he was ready for what was about to leave his mouth. The somber blond looked up questioningly, the rims of his eyes shimmering slightly with unshed tears of frustration. It was hard, as it always had been, to look into those blue eyes and see the little boy inside instead of the demon fox that had killed Iruka's parents six years prior. But that was the difference between the chuunin and most of the village: he knew that Naruto was a normal child, simply suffering from the refusal of his whole world to accept him, all because of something that was outside of his own control. "Would you like to come live with me?"

The silence that followed was deafening in its torrent of unspoken emotions. Naruto's eyes widened, narrowed suspiciously like it was some kind of trick, then widened again when he realized that Iruka was serious. After a few moments lacking a response, the adult of the pair coughed and continued a bit awkwardly. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. I know you don't like having supervision and probably don't want an adult looking over your shoulder constantly and . . ." He trailed off lamely again, scratching the back of his neck. Naruto seemed to be even more upset, his face contorted with conflicting feelings and tears beginning to escape down his scarred cheeks. Iruka nearly apologized for hurting his feelings and retracted the offer when his sleeve was gripped so hard the fabric was pulled taught against his bicep. No response was given in words, but the ridiculous, huge smile with tears streaming down his face unchecked was enough of an answer.

It took a while for Naruto to get himself together enough to talk again, but once he did the exuberance was palpable. Iruka understood more than most what not having parents meant for a child growing up, and the poor kid's reaction only confirmed what he had learned growing up on his own: more than anything else, Naruto wanted a family, somewhere he could be appreciated just for being himself. It may not be everything a normal child had, but for Konoha's pariah – the boy shunned from birth – it was the world.

_I'll do my best, Yondaime, to see your son become the man you would have wanted him to be._

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If gossip were a sport, the citizens of Konoha might well be the best in the world. For obvious reasons their whispers frequented topics involving Naruto, although recently for reasons other than his heritage and untold history. Rumor had it that one of the academy instructors had adopted the boy, one Umino Iruka. Of course, while in a normal society the charitable act of adoption might raise a person's status to some degree, this was a special case. The adoptee was Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Almost overnight Iruka became the talking point of the village, and almost as quickly began drawing the same looks his new house guest always garnered. At first he would glare back, but when Naruto started mimicking the action he decided a change of tactics was necessary. Instead, he smiled, and slowly the boy began smiling as well. His was more a defiant smirk, but it was better than the alternative.

To say Naruto's illicit activities ceased immediately would be twisting the truth. The problem, as Iruka found out fairly quickly, was that no structure had been introduced into his life before then. There were no consequences for his offenses, no praise for his accomplishments, and worst of all nobody to tell him the reasons behind them all. The first few weeks were some of the hardest the chuunin had ever experienced. Iruka was a teacher, although a fairly new one, and had some experience with kids. But being an instructor was a far stretch from acting as a parent. It took many hours speaking to the Hokage, as well as discreetly asking the advice from unbiased parties to finally come up with a solution that worked. Even then, it took nearly a month to see marked improvement in behavior. But there it was. Uzumaki Naruto, renowned thorn in the side of Konoha, was improving. Through simply being consistent in his punishments and criticisms, as well as always recognizing what ought to be praised in the boy, slowly but surely he stopped acting out.

About a month and a half after Naruto had moved into his 'sensei's' apartment, they were sitting having a one-sided discussion on table manners. Iruka could tell he was not so much being ignored as Naruto had started to think of something else that had been on his mind. Living together for a while had given the shinobi a better grasp of how the young man's mind worked, so he waited a moment before inquiring. "What is it, Naruto? You seem distracted by something."

"Ano, Iruka-sensei?" he asked uncomfortably, shifting around a few bits of rice with his chopsticks. Another marked change Iruka had been able to see (thankfully) was that Naruto seemed to think a lot more before something burst from his mouth unfiltered. He had not opened up much, but the boy dwelled on things to a greater extent than Iruka had thought. "You said that I should uh, focus my energies on being a great ninja, right?" He stopped for a moment at his sensei's nod. "Well, I was just thinking, 'cause uh, most kids start at the academy at my age. I was just wondering . . ." he repeated with failing confidence, looking down at his food.

"I already put in your paperwork," Iruka grinned, knowing where the question was leading. "You'll be starting at the academy after the summer session is concluded." He had wanted to keep it as a surprise for later, but now was as good a time as any other to tell him. The way Naruto's face lit up was a memory he was likely to keep for years to come. There was no need to tell the ecstatic prospective genin the pains he had gone through to allow him admittance to the Ninja Academy. The Hokage had to personally pull some strings for it to happen, for which Iruka had been extremely grateful if only frustrated that such a thing had to be done. Most of the administrators in charge of the school had refused to cooperate, forcing the Sandaime's hand. "We're going to start training next week, alright?"

"But I thought I was going to the academy to learn things and train," Naruto pondered quizzically. That was, Iruka supposed, a logical conclusion, but it simply was not what was expected.

"Naruto, I know you have tried to practice on your own, but you'll need to be a little more prepared. Training to become a shinobi takes serious work and dedication, and you can bet your classmates will have received some sort of training from their families before getting to the academy." A scowl that began to deteriorate into sadness prompted Iruka to continue quickly. "And so, I need to make sure you're up to speed so you can make a good impression. Are you willing to train hard to become Hokage one day?" The vigorous nod at mention of his dream seemed sincere. Iruka felt a little guilty using the child's aspirations as fuel for his passion, but if it got him motivated then there did not seem to be any harm in it.

The next month rivaled the first in its difficulties. Even though Iruka spent hours explaining and demonstrating the simplest jutsus, his protégé could not seem to mold the chakra correctly. After beginning to doubt the boy could even become a ninja, the answer to his problems came in an unexpected manner.

One innocuous afternoon when Iruka was attempting to explain the chakra control behind creating a bunshin, Naruto threw his version of a tantrum, sighing loudly and falling into the grass on his back. "Ahhg, Iruka-sensei! I can't concentrate like that! You said I just need to mold the chakra and stuff but how? It's like trying to grab one tiny ant from a big group that's all running together!" A few more frustrated noises later had him simply grumbling on the ground, silent. His statement, however, caused the chuunin to gain a sudden flash of inspiration. It was just a theory, but he was willing to try anything at this point. For some reason Naruto had some otherworldly stamina, and it could be connected.

After asking him to practice some hand signs, Iruka moved quickly paid one of the most renowned ninjas in the village a visit. Hatake Kakashi was in his usual spot: in a tree, reading one of his 'adult-themed novels' with the orange cover. "Kakashi-sama," he began, stopped immediately after by a raised hand that waved almost dismissively thereafter.

"Yo, Iruka-san. I told you to just call me Kakashi-san." He may be one of the most feared shinobi in the world, but he was also one of the most casual and least punctual.

"My apologies. I was taught to always respect my superiors," Iruka continued with a slight grin. It was hard to feel intimidated by Kakashi sometimes, although the questioning look from that one visible eye made the inquirer fidget ever-so slightly. The mask over the jounin's nose and mouth did not help much either. "I came to request a favor, if you are not too busy today. I have been trying to work with Naruto on some chakra control, but he can't seem to mold chakra as easily as other youths his age; after three weeks of instruction there hasn't been even a puff of wind to indicate a simple bunshin. Don't get me wrong: I don't expect any kid his age to be able to perform the Bunshin no Jutsu successfully, but most can make some ambiguous figure." He took a deep breath, realizing he was speaking quickly out of a touch of nervousness. Kakashi, however, looked as impassive as ever. "I think it's because Naruto has too much chakra; potentially many times the amount a six-year-old should possess. I think it might have something to do with the Kyuubi." The last sentence was stated a bit more gravely than the others, though his audience failed to react to it. "I was hoping you might be able to demonstrate a bunshin technique that consumes a greater amount of chakra? If my theory is correct, he might have something to shoot for at least." A very long moment passed with Kakashi seemingly having a staring contest with the younger man. Finally, a curt nod indicated his agreement, although it seemed reluctant.

"The only higher level bunshin technique he could perform – without knowing his element – is the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. But as a B-rank jutsu, you should know that there's no way he'll be able to perform it," Kakashi prattled as they made their way back to where Naruto was practicing. It seemed Iruka was taking this boy's development seriously, something the jounin had little to say about.

"I know, but I can't perform the technique, and it's just a hunch." It was a lame response, but it was all he had. Iruka remained silent for the remainder of their short saunter, arriving to see Naruto still screwing up his face in concentration and holding his hands in an imitation of the tiger seal. "Naruto, this is Hatake Kakashi. He is a jounin that's mastered over a thousand jutsus." That was bound to get his attention and respect. As expected, the blond's eyes turned into saucers as he bowed like Iruka had taught him. "Now, Kakashi-sama is going to explain a different jutsu to you alright? Please give him your full attention." Excited nodding ensued.

"Hmm," Kakashi began eloquently, dropping to the ground unceremoniously in a cross-legged position. The boy was more respectful than he expected, admittedly. "Well Naruto-kun, this is a more advanced bunshin technique called Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. It takes a lot more chakra to use, and there's a different technique to it . . ." As the legendary jounin began explaining exactly how to perform the jutsu, Iruka humbly noted how the man treated Naruto like an adult, and more importantly like a real person. When Kakashi completed his explanation, followed by a vigorous nod by the youngster, he had nodded in return and agreed to demonstrate.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." In the blink of an eye and a puff of white smoke another Hatake Kakashi was sitting next to the original, indistinguishable. What made Naruto's eyes go wide was that the bunshin started talking to him, rather than the real Kakashi. "Now, the neat thing about this ability is that when you make a copy of yourself, it retains a portion of your consciousness." Naruto blinked at him, confused. Kakashi blinked back, not used to explaining things to children his age. "It has a mind of its own." An attentive and excited nod ensured his message had been understood this time. "Additionally, the two main benefits of the Kage Bunshin is that it can mold chakra just like you, and when it's destroyed you gain the memories the clone experienced. Do you understand?" A very slow nod accompanied a look that said 'Not really, but sorta.'

"Just give it a try, Naruto," Iruka encouraged. Naruto dropped into a cross-legged position – perhaps assuming that it was necessary since Kakashi had done so – and concentrated. The silver-haired jounin had said to use a funny hand seal where he crossed his index and middle fingers instead of the tiger seal used for a normal bunshin. After a few minor corrections to his hand positioning, he tried 'molding the chakra' like Kakashi had said, or something like that. About ten seconds later, as Iruka was about to open his mouth and express some concern, Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" If Naruto had been a jounin performing that technique, it would be fair to laugh heartily at the result. However, the child was six-years-old. Half of a square meter beside him had erupted in white smoke. Well, it fizzled more than erupted. A small unrecognizable blob vaguely the color of his t-shirt and shorts had materialized, quivering for only a few seconds before going up in a haze of alabaster mist. Naruto just sat staring at the spot, unable to process what had happened fully.

"Well that was . . . Unexpected," Kakashi muttered, clearly surprised anything had happened at all. A glance up at Iruka showed a shocked but simultaneously satisfied expression.

"Naruto that was great!" Iruka's exuberance snapped Naruto from his momentary daze.

"But sensei, it didn't work," he responded, perplexed and disappointed. He had not been expecting much after his days of failure, but after seeing the plume of smoke his hopes had shot up at seeing a proper bunshin. Oddly, it was Kakashi who responded before Iruka could.

"Naruto, you need to understand that this is a pretty advanced jutsu. It's impressive that you managed to do anything with it at all." Iruka smiled appreciatively at his superior, knowing the effect another man's praise would have on a child that had received it from only one source prior. A broad, bashful grin spread across Naruto's face as he acknowledged the compliment with a bow, scratching at the back of his neck embarrassedly. Iruka was beginning to wonder if he had picked up that quirk from him.

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The rest of summer went by quickly. With chakra control worked out in theory at least, the remainder was spent getting Naruto's basic taijutsu forms up to par and working with kunai and shuriken. It was incredible how eager he was to learn and train. On days Iruka was busy he would take it upon himself to practice, and often even on days his sensei was free Naruto would begin and end far outside of the instructor's availability.

Before he knew it, Iruka was preparing for classes to begin in only a week's time. Naruto had finally removed his aviator goggles in favor of a simple indigo headband tied the same way as a hitai-ate. Months prior his wardrobe had changed to consist primarily of grey t-shirts and beige cargo shorts that reached just past his knees. Iruka was sure his tastes would change as he grew older, but at least he had been able to pick his own clothes for once (with some 'encouragement' offered to the shop keepers to behave, of course).

The night before his first day, Naruto approached the man he had almost called 'dad' a few times now. "Um, Iruka-sensei? I know you're going to be my instructor for classes, but I don't want any special treatment okay?" There was a defiant spark in his eyes that Iruka would not forget any time soon. It reminded him a bit of the rebellious Naruto of the past, but spoke more to the young man standing before him now, wanting to be the best ninja he could be on his own power.

"I promise I won't, Naruto. I know you'll excel on your own power." Furrowed brows communicated that his words had not quite registered. With a fond ruffle of the boy's hair Iruka pulled him into a hug, the first time he had done so since welcoming the blond to his home. Naruto froze momentarily, causing him to quickly begin to relax his hold and back off, thinking a boundary may have been crossed by the action. However, a tight grip pulled him back, a few errant sniffs tugging a soft smile to the shinobi's lips.

_Namikaze Minato. Tomorrow your son begins his journey to follow in your great footsteps._

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**Author's Note:**

Hey folks.

This is my first attempt at fanfiction writing, something I was inspired to do after reading S'TarKan's "Team 8" story. I was also having trouble finding something I wanted in a fic, that being a realistically developing relationship between Naruto and Hinata, so I decided to go for it on my own and see how it turned out.

This story focuses on Naruto's personal development based on a few slight changes early in his life. That alteration will have a ripple effect in a way, and as the story continues it can be expected that a greater number of things will be different than they are in the anime. As an additional note, Naruto's lineage is known in this AU because I purposefully filled in the plot hole left by Kishimoto. If you have any questions about that in particular, feel free to send me a PM!

A caution for those looking for an immediate introduction to the AU: I am quite literally rewriting the Naruto story beginning from five years prior to the canon. Is the story unique? I'd like to think so. There are important differences, there are major divergences, but the meta plot follows closely to canon plus or minus a few important details up until around Chapter 17. I'd only ask for some patience, and I hope that you enjoy the journey of growing up with Naruto and company the way I always thought it should have happened.

Final note: I am a hopeless romantic. NaruHina will definitely be a thing, but at a reasonable pace. Sasuke hits the dating scene a lot later. Side fluff for some other favorites down the road, too.


	2. Rough Start

**Chapter 2 – Rough Start**

The first three weeks at the academy went as Iruka expected, even if they were a little disappointing. He had gotten his hopes up that things might be close to normal for Naruto now that he was attending classes nearly every day of the week, but it was not to be. Despite the nearly two months of remedial training they had done the child was still noticeably behind the majority of his peers, struggling most with his ninjutsu studies. In taijutsu he fared a bit better, if only because he would tire out his opponent and gain the upper hand over the long run. The unnatural endurance and 'never give up' attitude that Naruto had adopted proved frustrating for some of the prospective genin to deal with sometimes, but that was the least of his worries.

"Iruka-sensei, none of my classmates want to talk to me," Naruto lamented one afternoon, kicking a stone along the road back to Iruka's home. The chuunin should have anticipated this, of course, but he had been so focused on making sure that the blond had been ready for training that the social aspect had been largely overlooked. Of course Naruto would want to make friends; what six-year-old did not? Only now did Iruka truly realize that the youth's ostracization had been passed on to his classmates by their parents. This would take some delicate explaining.

"That's not true," Iruka began lightly, ruffling Naruto's spiky blond hair and eliciting an insincere scowl. "I think the Hyuuga girl would talk to you if you tried." It was difficult not to notice the way the insufferably shy brunette watched Naruto from her seat at the back of the class, a mix of genuine curiosity and infantile admiration evident in her opalescent, pupil-less eyes. Naruto had naturally taken to being overtly friendly and a bit loud in class, apparently destined to be the class clown in a way. Iruka could not really blame him, either; after years of simply being ignored and even openly despised, it was no wonder he began seeking attention in such ways.

"Who?" he asked with a furrowed brow, trying to remember her from their class introductions. A minute or two of thinking brought him to the answer. "Oh, Hinata-san? Isn't she the one with weird eyes and red face?"

"Naruto!" Iruka scolded, though the youth's observations were not entirely inaccurate. "Hinata is a very nice girl, and her eyes are like that because of her family's bloodline ability." As he expected, Naruto's face appeared to be the epitome of confusion. Nobody had ever explained the concept to him before. "Some people have what are called bloodline limits," he explained as they rounded a corner, adopting his lecturing tone. "These are certain special abilities they inherit from their families that can't be learned by anybody else. Hinata possesses the Byakugan, which uses her eyes to um . . ." He hesitated in his explanation, considering phrasing that the child would understand. "It lets her see through things and at a much further distance than normal. She can also see the chakra inside of people." Saucer-like eyes stared up at him in rapt attention, fascinated by the concept. "Uchiha Sasuke, another of your classmates, also comes from a family with a bloodline ability. The Sharingan is another one that uses your eyes, but it lets um . . . It lets him copy a lot of jutsus just by seeing them, and can make him move faster." It was not a precise explanation, but one that would make sense.

"Sensei that's not fair!" Naruto had stopped and was looking up at him with a mix of chagrin and indignation. "Why do they get special stuff like that?" Iruka could see where the boy was coming from, so he was careful with a response. The last thing he wanted was Naruto holding a grudge or becoming upset with his classmates for something that they had no control over. The irony of such a situation would be tragic.

"They were just born into their families, Naruto. You can't be mad at them because of something outside of their own control. And just because they have those techniques doesn't mean they are automatically stronger; it takes more than just special skills to become a great ninja." Naruto looked a bit dubious but nodded. Iruka could see the gears turning, trying to decide what to do with the new information.

"I guess. Hey, do you think I should try to be their friends?" he asked hopefully, the doubt already apparent in his voice. While the Hyuuga girl seemed to hold no ill will towards Naruto, the Uchiha boy looked at him with at least a moderate amount of distaste. _Leave it to the Uchihas to indoctrinate their young with their own ignorance._

"I think that sounds great. And remember what I told you: it's up to you to make a good impression. Even if you think somebody doesn't like you, just show them how nice and hardworking you can be. I bet they'll come around." The jubilant smile and nod was priceless. As they walked the remaining distance back to his apartment, Iruka wondered if it was wrong to get Naruto's hopes up. _Well, if he really wants to become Hokage one day he needs to start changing minds. What better minds to change than those of his peers?  
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Unfortunately, altering predispositions proved more difficult than Iruka had anticipated. Naruto did not give up on his 'in-your-face' nigh constant exuberance, something that made some edge away from him. However, as Iruka observed the behavior of his student it became increasingly apparent that the attitude was merely a front. Naruto was _nervous_ around his peers, and rather than act aloof and reserved like some of his classmates – Aburame Shino, for example – he became extremely extroverted. In reality, the boy just did not know how to engage others in casual conversation, a skill that most youths his age unabashedly possessed and acted on.

Months passed with little to show in terms of improvements, at least in the social realm. Naruto possessed a surprising amount of motivation despite his situation, something Iruka supposed he would have needed to have in order to survive that long in the village. Unable to form connections with his classmates, the blond took his unspoken frustration out on training. Logically considered, social skills were entirely foreign and a pain to learn for a youth that had basically raised himself. Exercise and self-instruction were an escape of sorts, leading to spending many extra hours honing his skills, gradually closing the gap that still existed between his fellow students.

"Up early again, I see," Iruka observed with a yawn one morning in early December. Recently Naruto had been getting up even earlier than his teacher to do some light physical exercise. This was the third time in a week Iruka had woken up to find his student doing pushups on the living room floor. It was impossible to argue that training so much was not admirable, but it was not the discipline that worried him. The longer he failed to form friendships with his classmates, the more at risk he was of becoming isolated, eventually sinking into himself entirely. Many of the children in Naruto's class had already formed cliques, something unavoidable for youths, and the longer this persisted the harder it would get. An abuse of power was in order.

"All right students, quiet down please," Iruka chided over the dull roar. It was the last day of classes before the brief winter break, and the last few minutes of class at that. Nearly everyone was buzzing with excitement. "Now I still expect you all to train during your breaks." A familiar chorus of grumbles greeted his announcement, and he could not help but grin slightly. "Come on now; you can't expect to graduate and become great ninja if you don't practice a lot. That aside, I want you all to be aware that you will have new seating assignments when we resume classes next month." The complaining began almost immediately, but he merely held up a hand for silence and continued. "Quiet down, quiet down. If you want to sit next to somebody in particular, write down your requests on a piece of paper and hand it to me as you leave. I won't make any promises, but I will do my best to respect your wishes. Remember, only three people can sit together in a row, and this is a full class of twenty-seven students. You have to sit somewhere next to one or two of your classmates." With that, he waited as most of the children hurriedly scribbled a name or two on a scrap of paper before being dismissed.

As expected, Naruto shrugged and walked out first without placing a request. Both the Haruno girl, Sakura, and Inoichi's daughter Ino put in bids for Sasuke, who had managed to gain popularity on his looks and exceptional skills alone. To be fair, the child did seem to work hard to be like his brother Itachi. However, Sasuke seemed not to mind who he was put with and left in the same manner Naruto had. The very last person to leave was Hinata, the diminutive heiress to the Hyuuga family, approaching bashfully with a tiny scrap of paper clutched to her chest. Iruka smiled encouragingly, which only proved to deepen the blush spreading across the girl's cheeks. In a rush she bowed and thrust the scrap atop the pile, almost running out of the room immediately thereafter.

Iruka shook his head with a knowing smile, shuffling the papers together before picking the top one off to read the small, eloquent, and incredibly formal script.

"_Hyuuga Hinata requests to be seated next to Uzumaki Naruto."_

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It would not be until some time later that Iruka realized the incredible courage it had taken the young Hyuuga to have even put forth her request, but he gladly abided by it. He felt a pang of guilt at manipulating the classroom environment in Naruto's favor, but quickly quashed the feeling after considering the advantages the rest of his students had obtained through a normal upbringing. A promise had been made not to give Naruto any special treatment, but he had taken that in terms of academic assistance and (probably) not embarrassing the boy. Iruka was doing what any . . . Parent . . . Might do for their child. He cared about Naruto's development, and knew that having even one or two friends would help tremendously. He only hoped he had chosen the right ones to bet on.

As the class filed into the room on their first day of the spring semester, they automatically moved to their old seats, either in hopes that their teacher had forgotten to assign them or in genuine forgetfulness. "Everybody to the front of the class, please," he interrupted as the last student filed in. Well, last two if you count the small white dog perched on his head. Kiba appeared to have inherited the Inuzuka clan's traits. "It's time to get your new seats for this semester." The expected groans came and went as the students moved sullenly to the front of the class.

The assignments appeared to largely follow the groups everybody had been sitting in originally with some changes here or there. Choji, Shikamaru, and Ino were all put at a table together as per their parents request; they got along pretty well anyway, despite Ino's dismay at not being placed next to Sasuke. Shino, Kiba, and Sakura were placed in a row, the familiar whine from the pink-haired girl echoing her blonde friend. Over half of the class had been placed before, without missing a beat, Iruka announced it.

"Moving on to the last set of seats near the window, starting in the back row: Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuuga Hinata, and Uzumaki Naruto. Please take your seats. Next row . . ." As Iruka continued, the three blinking children failed to move for a moment, glancing at one another before the boy with ebony tresses shrugged and sauntered up to take the window seat. Naruto watched after him for only a moment before smiling a little nervously at Hinata, who looked down quickly, face flushed and index fingers pushing together so hard the ends turned white. Not wanting to hold up the rest of the students looking to get to their seats, he trotted quickly up to take a seat next to Sasuke, the last of the trio taking her seat quietly after the blond.

The rest of the seating finished without a hitch, although the slightest of frowns twitched at Iruka's lips as he noted the state of that certain back row. The Uchiha boy sat staring out the window, not really trying to be rude but just more interested in whatever the outside world had to offer at the moment. Naruto was uncharacteristically quiet, hands in his lap and just looking around the room anxiously. Hinata . . . Did what Hinata usually did, although with a lot more color in her face than normal: she sat there, fidgeting ever-so slightly, trying to appear as small as possible as if her presence might cause some huge inconvenience. _Well, I didn't expect them to hit it off immediately. I just hope I did the right thing._

About a week later the first spark appeared. Up until that point the three had not spoken much beyond necessary collaborative classwork. Today was a team sparring match, where the class would split into groups of three and have multiple tag team matches against the rest of their peers. The rules were simple: your group would choose a first opponent who would fight until knocked down – or until three points were scored against them – and then the next person would take their place and continue. Matches would occur one at a time in a round-robin style. The last team standing 'won' bragging rights until the next tournament.

To Iruka's relief, Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke gravitated together almost immediately. It was to be expected; the entire class, as a matter of fact, simply did the comfortable thing and formed groups according to their assigned rows. After a moment of each of them looking at one another several times – Hinata more at the ground than any one of them – Naruto finally spoke up. "Well, who wants to go first?"

"It should be somebody who can last longest, I think," Sasuke offered thoughtfully, explaining the reasoning he had come up with. "If one person can get through a lot of the teams by themselves, the other two will have a better chance with fewer people to fight right?" The Hyuuga girl nodded in agreement before looking back down, to the ground, tinges of pink visible already. Naruto considered the proposal and shrugged.

"Well, Iruka-sensei always says I have a lot of uh . . . Stamina or endurance or something. I can go first." The blond had placed both hands behind his head, looking a bit embarrassed at the admission. Sasuke only nodded, Hinata mimicking his action and looking like she wanted to say something, but the words failed to escape. "Alright!" Naruto exclaimed boisterously, feigned confidence returning as their teacher set up the first matches.

Iruka was surprised at his student's abilities, to say the least. It seemed some had taken his request seriously and worked on their taijutsu over the break, showing marked improvement from their last group sparring sessions. A streak of pride shone through at Naruto's performance, the dedication the boy had shown proven as he went through his first matches. Before long it was clear which three teams would prevail. Aside from Naruto's team, the team consisting of Shino, Kiba, and Sakura was still standing with only Shino having been beaten. Additionally Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji still stood in the ranks, the Nara boy currently fighting for his team with Choji in the last slot.

Naruto seemed to be breathing a bit heavily for once, which was not too surprising as he had persevered through a slew of opponents with several close calls. At one point he had been down two points to zero against Shino, but held him off long enough to land a well-timed kick that took the bug-user off of his feet. "Close one," Sasuke had murmured, though seemed to have a growing respect for his comrade's abilities. Finally, it was Naruto's turn again, this time against Kiba. The Inuzuka boy had proven to be well adept at hand-to-hand combat, and it was almost immediately apparent who had the upper hand in their bout.

Faster than he would have liked Naruto was against the ropes, forced to spend most of his efforts defending and hardly getting the chance to go on the offensive. Had he been less exhausted the encounter might have been more even. However, the score was two to one in Kiba's favor, and things did not look good for him. "N-Naruto-kun . . ." a timid voice began, almost causing him to miss a block. Hinata almost _never_ spoke unless spoken to, and even then usually a nod or quick shake of the head communicated what she needed to. Not to mention, the honorific being so personal threw him off a little. "Remember we're here too . . ." She trailed off, no doubt hoping her encouragement had not come off negatively. Sasuke, however, nodded and voiced his agreement.

Naruto smirked. He knew that, of course, but he was not about to give up on his team. The more he could get out the better chance they had to win. "I know," he grunted through an outside block, quickly pivoting to avoid a round kick aimed at his side. "But we're gonna win!" The opportunity came unexpectedly as Kiba lunged for a hook, letting his guard down on the opposite side. Naruto took the gamble, moving directly in the path of the blow and launching his own uppercut in response. The effect was almost as desired. With a simultaneous 'umph' both boys were knocked off of their feet, Kiba landing on his rear end while Naruto ended up flat on his back with a throbbing eye. Despite the injury, he had the broadest grin on his face following a bark of laughter that could have made Akamaru – Kiba's dog – jealous. "Heh, oops! Guess it's up to you guys now."

Iruka smiled, watching as his charge was helped to his feet by a concerned, flushed Hinata and a fairly impressed Sasuke. _So it begins._

Sasuke opted to fight next, apologizing to Hinata a bit cockily. "Sorry you didn't get to fight today, Hinata-san," he said emphatically, stepping up to the sparring circle. The implication was not lost on the remaining students, instantly riled up by the brazen Uchiha.

Despite the confidence, even Sasuke would later admit (begrudgingly) that he had underestimated his opponents, namely Shikamaru. As his first opponent, the Uchiha quickly learned the lesson that appearances were deceiving. Shikamaru slept a lot, even in class, and expressed how everything seemed to be 'troublesome'. However, his taijutsu was nothing to scoff at, and before long the score was tied at two. Both youths had been moving in a veritable frenzy, at least for their ages. Shikamaru was noticeably more exhausted than his adversary, and just before they reengaged for what could have been the final time, he straightened and held up a hand. "This is too troublesome. You win." Without a further explanation, he shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged back to his team. Sasuke blinked once or twice, but nodded and readied himself.

Sakura's performance was dismal, to put it lightly. It was apparent that the girl had put little effort in her physical training, or at least not at all in her forms. She also seemed unable to concentrate against the boy that she always fawned over. In less than thirty seconds Sasuke had handily scored his three points without having been touched, and it seemed he had used the match as a breather from the last one. Iruka noted that the he had taken it easy, preferring to score easy points on her shoulders and side when he could easily have taken a rougher route. _Nicer than I expected from an Uchiha._

"Alright tubby," he sighed, motioning for Choji to come forward to be his last encounter. "Let's get this over with." Shikamaru winced as Choji's eyes narrowed to slits. Hinata gulped as the air around them seemed to grow heavier. She muttered something incoherent about things that are not nice, eyes on the ground and fingers pressed together in worry.

The rotund boy stepped forward, shoving his chips in Shikamaru's hand. "You'll regret that." Choji, who was normally unreadable and somewhat timid, seemed deathly serious after the insult. Shikamaru quietly mentioned something about a 'taboo' to Ino. Almost as soon as Iruka had signaled the match to start, several shocked gasps escaped the crowd. One moment Sasuke was facing Choji, and the next he was sprawled on the ground with the wind knocked out of him, an angry Akimichi glaring down at him. "I'm not fat, you jerk. I'm just big boned." Ino giggled and cheered for the unexpected victory, though she was fuming immediately after at her teammate for being so harsh with Sasuke.

Sasuke returned to his group, shaking his head and looking depressed. "Sorry . . . I guess I wasn't ready for that." He made a mental note to _never_ call Choji fat again. Iruka almost let a grin slip; it was good to see the proud boy humbled a bit.

"That's alright Sasuke-san; you did great! Ready to clean up, Hinata-san?" The Hyuuga looked mortified, shaking her head and backing up, which only caused Naruto to cock his head to the side and give her a quizzical look. "C'mon, I know you'll do great. Just give it your best shot!" A squeak escaped her mouth and she jumped in response to Naruto grabbing her hand and pulling her back towards the circle. His big, encouraging smile gave her confidence, something that was entirely foreign to the heiress. She nodded slowly and took a few tentative steps to stand in front of Choji, who still looked more than mildly annoyed at the earlier quip from Sasuke.

"Begin!" At Iruka's call, Choji moved into a basic taijutsu fighting stance before blinking at Hinata. It was well known that the Hyuuga fought differently than most ninja, using the jyuken style that was developed for their bloodline ability. Even with that knowledge, without having seen it before her stance looked . . . Weird. As soon as the girl had lowered into her stance, the timidity washed away to reveal a focused youth, no doubt years into her special taijutsu training already. The light flush remained, but Hinata was all business, determined not to let her team down.

The sight of his quiet classmate suddenly looking fierce took the anger out of Choji. He gulped, not sure what to time for thinking was quickly over when a barrage of palm strikes from the diminutive Hinata rattled his guard, from the very beginning just struggling to keep up with her pace. Naruto and Sasuke sat gawking a few meters back, wondering why they had only seen basic taijutsu from their classmate up until that point.

The match was decided faster than Sasuke's bout with Sakura, concluding with a tumult of applause and excited shouts from the rest of the students. Choji bowed and shuffled back to his team, apologizing several times to them and looking crestfallen. Hinata immediately bowed and scurried back into the crowd to rejoin her team. Her face was burning with the praise coming from every direction. No amount of stuttering insistence that she did not deserve it helped until Iruka came to her rescue.

"Alright everyone, good work today. We had this exercise so that you all could find some of your own strengths and weaknesses, and maybe learn a little teamwork along the way. I want you all to work hard on your taijutsu; I'll be disappointed if we don't have a different winning team every week!" With a chorus of 'Yes sensei!' they all made their way back to the classroom, every one chirping about the winning team and how cool it was to watch the last few fights.

"Way to go you guys!" Naruto beamed as they got back to their seats, excitement nearly bubbling over. His teammates were not the only ones that noticed that he was no longer breathing hard. "Sasuke you kicked Shikamaru's ass – er, butt I mean," he corrected at Hinata's wide eyes. He offered a bashful laugh before continuing. "And Hinata your taijutsu was so cool! Is that your family's fighting style?" A subdued nod preceded a quiet statement, accompanied by the seemingly ever-present index fingers.

"Ano . . . I only had one match Naruto-kun. You and Sasuke-san did all the work . . ."

"I barely did anything," Sasuke admitted begrudgingly, smirking at Naruto. "You're the one who fought the rest of the class; how many matches was it? Eight? Ten? Iruka-sensei was right; you don't ever get tired do you?" Hinata nodded vigorously.

"Eh it wasn't that bad," he said proudly, catching Iruka's stern look before making a face and lowering his voice. "I mean, I got to go against all of the ones who didn't do their winter homework I'm sure. I bet if I'd fought Kiba, Shikamaru, or Choji early on you guys woulda done a lot more matches." Sasuke shrugged, and Hinata looked inexplicably worried. It was true, to a degree.

"Alright, that's it for today. Be sure to start practicing your transformation jutsu at home; it's one of the three important jutsus you need to know before you can graduate." Naruto made a face; he never had much luck with jutsus, and had made little to no progress on the Kage Bunshin technique despite almost daily practice.

"Hinata-san, do you want to train a little after class? I want to spar a bit more since we didn't get much chance with today's competition." Sasuke had turned to Hinata to pose the question as the class began to leave, leaving a blinking Naruto between them. The received response was an odd, wide-eyed wonder from the Hyuuga, though a quick nod afforded her confirmation. Naruto smiled and waved to the two of them, moving along before a hesitant voice stopped him.

"N-Naruto-kun . . . Do you want to come with us?" Hinata asked nervously, eyes cast anywhere but at him. "I-If you're too tired it's okay . . ." She turned scarlet as she finally caught sight of the blond, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah! I just need to tell Iruka-sensei; I'll meet you guys in the yard in five minutes!" He could barely contain himself as he bounded down the stairs between desks, all but exclaiming to their teacher his plans for the afternoon. Of course, the chuunin had no qualms, so long as he was back for their evening meal. Moments later Naruto sped out the door, slowing to a 'casual' walk with a bit too much bounce in his step upon leaving the building.

Iruka leaned against his desk at the front of the class, head shaking and smiling sadly. A lot had happened in one day, it seemed, and not all of it good even if the children all seemed happy. The intended three had indeed formed the beginnings of a friendship, he felt, and Naruto could not have been happier. Sasuke seemed to have reevaluated the boy too, and also learned a valuable lesson on humility. Hinata, though, despite her team's confidence and insistence that she fought well seemed as down on herself as always, as if nothing she did was good enough. For whom it was inadequate was a mystery, though Iruka had a few guesses. It was no secret that her father Hiashi was an icy, intimidating, perfectionist of a man, and her mother had died years prior. The girl was riddled with the signs of anxiety, lack of confidence, and self-deprecation. _Well, I can hope her new friends will help in ways I can't. I'll have to wait and see._

When Naruto returned that evening for dinner he was bubbling over, talking almost non-stop about how the extracurricular sparring had gone. By his account Sasuke was better than he was in all categories, and Hinata was a lot faster at least, but rather than becoming disheartened these facts seemed to encourage him to train even harder. His incredible stamina did not even seem to come to mind as a great advantage he had over the other two; somewhere in the last seven months Naruto had learned the all-important ability to be humble. Iruka wondered wryly where he could have gotten that from, stopping himself from seething about the boy's lack of proper upbringing. _All it took was something small, and he's come so far in such a short time._

"We're gonna train every day after classes, and even on off-days!" Naruto exclaimed, flushing slightly at Iruka's chiding for being too loud indoors before continuing. "Sorry sensei. But Sasuke showed me this cool fire jutsu, and Hinata can already do a perfect transformation! Can we work more on my chakra stuff and ninjutsu?" Iruka blinked, but grinned. It seemed they were already inspiring one another.

"Of course we can, Naruto. You want to set a goal for yourself?" His student stopped mid bite and furrowed his brows in the usual manner, denoting he did not quite understand. "Naruto, your biggest goal is to be Hokage one day, right?" He waited for a nod before continuing. "Well, it's important to set little goals along the way that will help you get there. For example, you have to be a jonin to be Hokage, but before that you have to be a chuunin – my rank – and even before that you have to make genin. So your first smaller goal should be to be a genin, right?" Naruto nodded slowly this time, connecting the dots in his head. "In order to become a genin, you have to master a few simple ninjutsus, have adequate ability with taijutsu, and be able to handle your ninja tools well. So when I asked if you wanted to set a goal, I mean a goal that will help you towards one of those smaller things, because eventually your goals will build up until you reach your big goal." With all the pieces put in place, a final excited nod indicated that he had understood everything up to that point. "So I think we should work really hard and see if you can get your Kage Bunshin technique by the end of the year. How does that sound?"

"A whole _year_? Iruka-sensei, do you really think it will take that long?" Relatively speaking, a year of Naruto's life was a significantly larger portion of his entire existence than it was for Iruka, so the skepticism was understood. The youth likely neglected to consider how difficult the jutsu actually was to master.

"Yes, a _whole_ year. Remember when I told you that you have a lot more chakra than most people?" Naruto nodded, recalling also that Iruka had said not to mention it to anybody. "Well, it's making it harder for you to focus on your ninjutsu because there's so much. So it might take longer for you to get used to some things. Does that make sense?" The blond sure liked nodding. "Great, so let's aim for December alright? See if you can learn it before Hinata-chan's birthday!" Naruto made a face and asked a question about why exactly Iruka had added the suffix 'chan' to his classmate's name. The older male was reminded daily how, while Naruto had picked up most of his language habits and meanings from the orphanage, some things had gone uncovered. The remainder of the meal was encompassed by a pseudo-lecture about honorifics, when to use them, and how to use them.

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A month had passed since that day, and sure enough the trio trained almost daily, further honing their taijutsu skills and occasionally finding time for chakra exercises. Naruto had advanced alarmingly fast in his taijutsu, to the point that Sasuke was now struggling to keep up and he was helping his friends with their footwork and technique. Of course even just sparring with Naruto over an extended period of time increased their endurance as well. Hinata helped both of them with their chakra control and its practical applications, to the best of her abilities, while Sasuke tried to impart some knowledge of the jutsus his brother had taught him. All in all, the experience helped all of them improve noticeably. Trouble came, however, as trouble always tends to.

Two months before the end of the spring semester, Hinata arrived home after a productive day at the academy. The Hyuuga estate was vast and lavish, as the family was one of the wealthiest in the village, but the gardens could not hold the girl's attention for the time being. Her father had sent for her. The only thing going through her mind right then was a mental checklist, making sure she was presentable and had a stutter-free explanation of the day's events ready in case he asked. Not because he cared if she enjoyed it or not – such things were unimportant, after all – but to ensure that her instruction was going well.

Hinata had been a disappointment to her father, a fact that she was reminded of almost daily at her home. If not by her father, then by her elder cousin Neji, or even her younger sister Hanabi who showed much more promise. The elder daughter of Hiashi was on the verge of being disowned, or perhaps she had already been proverbially cast out. It was hard to tell some days. All Hinata knew was that she needed to work harder and earn her father's praise. It was her fault for being a failure, so she had to take responsibility and fix it.

The audience chamber was dimly lit and quiet. Too quiet, as usual. Hyuuga Hiashi sat on a slightly raised dais, considering his eldest offspring coldly. No hint of paternal warmth emanated from the leader of the clan. "I understand that you are engaging in extra training after hours at the academy," he stated rhetorically, watching his daughter for any hint of a reaction. Nothing yet. "I have been told you are training with an Uchiha; I approve of this choice and recommend you continue. Their clan is strong, and with his help you may yet salvage your worth." A pitiful, hopeful expression appeared on Hinata's face before it was erased by a hard look. "However, I also understand that the Uzumaki child is also taking part in this training. I thought I had . . . Cautioned you about him. He is dangerous filth, and I have told you more than once to maintain distance from him. But you have gone against my wishes and now willingly consort with him." Hinata's mouth opened and closed once, causing Hiashi to raise an inquisitive eyebrow. Had she actually been about to defend her actions? "You are not to spend any more time with Uzumaki Naruto. Do you understand?" A long moment passed with a barely noticeable shimmering of the girl's eyes, the only animation to an otherwise stoic face. "I will ask only once more, Hinata. Do. You. Understand?" His words cut like no blade could, finally eliciting a tight nod from her before she was dismissed unceremoniously.

Hinata was used to tears; many evenings had been spent curled up in her room, crying for reasons beyond her own understanding. But she knew why this time. She knew that her father had demanded she give up one of the only friends she had ever made, a boy that inspired her and whom she could gain confidence from, even if only once in a while.

But why? Why did the adults hate Naruto so much? Why did even her peers whisper things about him like the older villagers? She had asked only two people in her life. One was her father, who had merely berated her for asking such a foolish question. The other was one of her retainers, who kindly suggested that he was not allowed to tell. That was what bothered the young Hyuuga more than anything else. They were not 'allowed' to, but that meant it must be a secret. What kind of secret could it be that was worth trying to put down such a courageous boy? Silent sobs carried her to sleep as the puzzle refused to solve itself in her mind.

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"Naruto, why hasn't Hinata been training with you and Sasuke?" Iruka asked on night when Naruto came home and began explaining what he and Sasuke had been working on. "All I've heard mention of this last month was training with Sasuke, and every time I ask about Hinata you just say she's busy. What happened, Naruto?"

"I don't know sensei," he answered honestly with a shrug, though his expression denoted he was bothered by it. "She doesn't talk much in class anymore either – not that she used to much . . . Or that we talk in class. But . . . One day she just said her dad wants her to train with him after school instead. I mean that seems pretty neat; her jyuken is really cool." The mixed emotion in his statements was more than obvious. On one hand he wanted his friend back, but on the other he could not be mad that she was spending time with her dad training.

"You said she . . . Isn't talking as much in class?" Iruka had put his chopsticks down, hands folding beneath his chin. Naruto nodded guiltily, thinking he was mad about them carrying on conversations in class. "I see, well, I'm sure she'll be back with you and Sasuke soon." Naruto looked curious but nodded, unconvinced.

The next day, after class, Iruka called Sasuke and Hinata to his desk before they were able to leave the classroom. "Can you wait in the courtyard, Naruto? See if you can do two-hundred pushups before Sasuke gets there." The challenge was taken to with gusto, the blond racing from the room to begin immediately. A fond smile lingered on Iruka's lips for a moment before he turned to the pair in front of him, one looking curious while the other fidgeted nervously, staring at the floor. "What have your parents told you about Uzumaki Naruto?" Hinata's face shot up in alarm, all but confirming the chuunin's suspicions, though it was Sasuke who offered an explanation first.

"My dad said to avoid him," he answered with an uncomfortable shrug. "He won't say why, but he said that Naruto is dangerous. Itachi said not to worry about it though, so I didn't listen. I haven't seen anything wrong with Naruto, and he's fun to train with." Iruka's nod, more appreciative than the child knew, brought about another shrug from Sasuke.

"My father has not said anything about Naruto-kun, Iruka-sensei," she mumbled at the ground, fingers grasping the hem of her shirt tight enough to make her fingers white. Hinata was exceptional at telling white lies with a straight face in most situations, but when caught in the open like this it was impossible to keep the emotion out.

"Thank you, Sasuke. You can go meet up with Naruto now." With a nod and glance to his friend, the Uchiha boy left silently. Iruka considered Hinata for a few long seconds, carefully choosing his phrasing. "Hinata, you don't have to tell me, but I think it's safe to assume that your father has told you something similar." Her grip tightened. "There's not much I can do for you; I know, like Sasuke, you don't want to have to be separated from your friends." The slightest of nods told him that she acknowledged that much. "I also don't know what it's like for you at home, and unfortunately it's not my place to ask. However," he paused, finally seeing her slightly teary eyes raised to his. "I can assure you that Naruto is not dangerous. He is a kind, determined boy that doesn't deserve what Konoha has forced on him. Understand?" Hinata nodded with more fierceness than he knew she possessed. "Alright," he said quietly, smiling sadly at her, "I'll see you tomorrow then." She bowed and left in a hurry. Only after a full minute of watching the empty doorway did Iruka notice the tiny drops of blood dripping from his fingers. He had apparently been holding his wrist very firmly behind his back.

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"What is it you wanted to speak about, Umino Iruka?" Hiashi seated himself across from the instructor, not bothering to keep the distaste out of his voice. "My daughter's performance has been above average, I assume?"

"Yes, Hiashi-sama," Iruka began carefully, trying to put the powerful man at ease. "Hinata's grades are the best of her class, as one should expect of a member of the Hyuuga family." This earned him a hard look from Hiashi, followed closely by a curt nod. "However, her grades are not why I asked you here. I have noticed that she has become more . . . Withdrawn in the last month or so, more so than usual. Early this semester she seemed to get along well with Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, but lately seems to have abandoned their friendship, so to speak." As expected, Hiashi showed little reaction beyond a twitch of his eyebrow at the mention of the village pariah.

"I told my daughter to stay away from the boy. The Uchiha clan does not remember what happened nearly eight years ago, it seems. A pity; I encouraged Hinata to train with Sasuke, but his association with the demon has prevented that." It took all of Iruka's self-control to maintain a straight face and not grind his teeth.

"I see. Well, Hiashi-sama, I think that is regrettable. Naruto was helping your daughter with her stamina and chakra capacity, in addition to simply serving as a sparring partner for her to practice jyuken. And, ah, I must respectfully disagree with your assertion that Naruto is a demon." He finished the last portion in a rush, doing his best to keep every shred of anger from his tone.

"Iruka-_sensei_," Hiashi began frostily, blank eyes seeming to stare into the instructor's soul. "Have you also forgotten the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the incarnation of evil itself that ravaged this village? Have you forgotten the thousands that died at its claws, including your own parents?" Iruka was proud of himself for not even flinching at the topic he had seen coming. "Uzumaki Naruto possesses that very demon and should have been killed the same night it was sealed inside of him."

"No," Iruka began, unable to keep a semblance of fury from his voice. "No, Hiashi-_sama_, Naruto is not the Kyuubi. The Yondaime sacrificed his life to seal that damned fox inside of him; Naruto never once had a choice in the matter. Even so, he does not _possess_ the demon as you imply. He keeps it imprisoned, and as far as I am concerned he will until the day he dies. The Kyuubi does not define who the boy is; he does, through his words and actions. And I can tell you from experience that Uzumaki Naruto is one of the kindest, most selfless children I know, and despite dealing with the whole village's spite his entire life he is still determined to protect them. Does that sound like a monster to you, Hiashi-sama?"

Silence. Iruka was unsure whether Hiashi was in shock at being rebuked, or if he was merely considering the words of the considerably younger chuunin. _Likely the prior._ It was a sobering thought, considering that the Hyuuga clan head had significant sway over the village, to the point he could probably get Iruka removed from his post. An eternity seemed to pass before Hiashi stood without saying a word, approaching the door to the small office. He turned at the threshold, looking back towards what he considered to be an impudent teacher. "Let us hope you are right, for all our sakes." With that he was gone, and Iruka was left to sag heavily in his seat. Hiashi's killer intent had been more than palpable; it had radiated violently throughout the room and likely several meters past. It had left the chuunin drained and shaking slightly, but he had gotten his point across. He could hope, at least.

The next day at academy, Iruka was struck speechless, stiffening as Hinata entered the room. He hoped against hope that nobody could sense the unbridled fury building up inside, although it seemed a few nearby students sensed the unbelievably rare pressure of his killer intent. A slew of unreasonable, borderline insane thoughts rushed through his mind. _I will kill Hyuuga Hiashi. When the Hokage hears about this he'll_ . . .

Hinata was slouched, which in and of itself was unsettling considering her normal poise. Although her face was downcast as per usual, Iruka had made out bruises along her neck and cheeks. From the way she was moving it could be assumed the injuries were more extensive than that. "Hinata," he stated tightly, though quietly. The girl winced and turned to him wearily. "Come with me please." She looked apprehensive, but far too sullen to put up any fight. It was an exercise in temperance to say nothing of her condition; he had seen her come in with bruises before and even asked about them once. He had been assured that they were the result of rigorous training with her father. _I'm sure they were. I'm damn sure._

A trip to the resident nurse did not take long. Although they covered most of her small body, the bruises and sores were minor enough to be treated with rudimentary healing techniques in short order. The very worst part was that neither Iruka nor the kindly woman treating Hinata could pry about the wounds. It was clan business, and as such was outside of even the Hokage's rule. It was physical abuse, plain and simple, disguised as training. The girl said nothing throughout the ordeal.

When they returned to class – a few minutes past the scheduled start time – Hinata still looked tired, but at least stood straighter and was no longer in physical pain. The psychological pain . . . Iruka could only shake his head as he watched her walk up to her seat. _That sort of pain doesn't heal the same._

The Hyuuga girl seemed a bit different that day. Despite the obvious mistreatment the night prior, she appeared to smile more, talk more with Naruto and Sasuke, and slowly seem like her old self. It was not until Naruto burst into the kitchen that evening, breathless, that Iruka discovered the reason.

"Hinata's back! You were right sensei!" It made sense in the most painful way. Hiashi had likely gone home that night after speaking to Iruka and taken out his frustration on his daughter. But, at the same time, what the chuunin had said could not be refuted by a logical mind. Naruto had undoubtedly been helping his daughter in her training, and even he would have to concede that assuming the boy to be equivalent to his prisoner was absurd. Iruka ground his teeth again, tears springing to his eyes unbidden as he pulled Naruto into a spontaneous embrace.

"Good . . . Naruto?" he asked breathily, trying not to sound as emotional as he felt. There was an indistinguishable sound that noted he was being listened to. "Take care of your friends, especially Hinata. Good friends are hard to come by, and you should treasure them."

"I will, Iruka-sensei," Naruto responded, sounding confused but sincere. Naruto understood a lot about pain and loneliness, Iruka knew. In the future when he better understood his friend's situation, he would need that experience to be there for her.

_Damn it, somebody needs to be._

**Author's Note:**

Hey all.

First a thank you to my beta, Rhi; you're the best.

Thanks everybody for the favorites, follows, and reviews. I know as fellow writers, or at least fellow literature junkies, you know how much even a single word of praise means for an author. But it's not just praise I'm looking for; constructive criticism is appreciated equally, if not more. I would truly appreciate some comments if you have the time to spare; I'm just possessed with the writing bug at the moment, and as such I might miss some really important details that you noticed. Additionally, you can let me know which parts you liked so that I can try to keep it up!

Just a few notes before they come up:

The point at which the story changes from the original canon is well before the anime airs, as in the show most of the main cast start off around age 12 in their last year of the academy. The only source I could find on the topic indicated that students began their education around age 6-7 and finish around 11-12. I wanted to introduce Naruto's motivation to change early on so that it might have a greater effect on his personality later. Call me a hater if you want, but I never liked his attitude in the anime even if I understood why he was like that. It just bothered me. I wanted to be able to keep many of his core values but have his personality develop differently under the eye of a mentor that cared about him from his earlier life.

Sasuke's behavior is also different because, at this point, he is seven (birthday July 23 I think). The sources I could find suggested Itachi's betrayal occurred when Sasuke was seven or eight, and the portrayals of him before that were always of a (fairly) normal child. My own personality additions were based on his heritage and likely being told all of his life that he should be proud to be an Uchiha, and something something 'better than everybody' etc. And so, all that considered, I didn't see a reason that he and Naruto couldn't start out as friends.

Short unrelated note: When I mention girls fawning over boys or presumed 'interests', they're just kids. Boys and girls get crushes at that age, and it's meant as a foreshadow for what could develop in the future, certainly not for near the present.

Lastly, honorifics. You might have noticed that I neglected to use some on occasions, or used different ones in different situations, etc. Part of this is revealed in the piece itself: Naruto, at least, and some other children even might not be fluent in their understanding of the suffixes, and thus use them incorrectly or even not at all. I also spoke to an acquaintance of mine, who is also a Japanese native, on the subject, and gained a bit more insight than Wikipedia could offer me. There are apparently times it's okay to use them, times it's okay not to, times one is preferred over the other, etc. Basically it's complicated, and I'd just say that I am doing my best with them. Try not to get too tied up over it. 3

Thanks again for reading, and I'm sure you'll be seeing more of me soon.

Wes


	3. Tragedy Strikes

**Chapter 3 – Tragedy Strikes**

Iruka stretched and leaned back in his chair, eyes half lidded as he watched his three students spar in the summer heat. It had been a month already since the end of the spring semester, but Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke still spent most days together. Most of the time they trained, but occasionally they simply played games or chatted on walks. Ever since Hinata had returned to the group they seemed more determined than ever to improve, as if her presence had revitalized their efforts. Despite the heat, they showed little to no lack of focus.

Naruto and Hinata were sparring at the moment, allowing Sasuke a breather on a nearby bench. Both boys had long since removed their shirts – an action met with furious blushing by their female companion – and were covered in sweat. Her clothes clung to her as well, and she lost her focus to a giggle thinking about what it would be like to be a boy. Iruka, unseen by the group, raised an eyebrow. Hinata had _laughed_. Naruto took the opening presented and scored a point through her block, though his control had improved enough so that the blow was little more than a tap.

"Yeah! First point I've scored on you today," Naruto laughed as he settled back into his stance. Hinata's jyuken had not only improved in the last few months, but she had also taken to modifying the style on her own. While the Hyuuga taijutsu largely focused on rapid palm strikes, Hinata had begun incorporating more kicks and advanced footwork into the style as a result of the boys' sparring. The result, for the time being, had proven her temporarily superior to her sparring partners until they were able to figure out effective counters.

Hinata nodded excitedly, glad for her friend's progress. She was far too nice to ruin his accomplishment by admitting she had lost focus. About ten minutes later found her sufficiently tired. Naruto had managed to score two more points since his first, though he had taken a significant amount more than she. Seeing Sasuke looking a bit down on energy still, Naruto straightened and stretched. "You guys want to go to Ichiraku for lunch? Iruka-sensei took me there last week and their ramen is great!" Sasuke and Hinata agreed readily, both tired and needing a lengthy break anyway. Naruto prattled on about the different types of ramen he was planning to get as they moved away, leaving a grinning Iruka watching after them.

Naruto had taken his mentor's words seriously. Whenever his friends were tired he would find an excuse to rest, whether it be for lunch or just lying in the grass for a while. Iruka was sure that Sasuke and Hinata knew he was just being nice; it was hard to miss how Naruto always seemed full of energy, or how his heart rate returned to normal after only a moment's rest. But the blond boy just wanted to make sure his friends were alright, so he did not mind the necessary breaks – he did love ramen, after all.

Unfortunately he still had yet to make progress on his Kage Bunshin technique. No matter how much Hinata worked with him or how often he practiced, Naruto could only form that small discolored, unstable blob. It was getting to the point that he was even getting frustrated with himself. In all things Naruto refused to give up, trying and trying until he got it. But now he had encountered an obstacle that seemed impassable. Or at least it _seemed_ that way, until the day Iruka decided to come join them for some chakra control exercises.

All three were sitting cross-legged side by side, hands held in the ram seal and focusing. Iruka strode across the field they had been training in, sitting across from them with a proud smile. None of them moved, not even to check who had approached. Iruka blinked. Their focus was impressive. Several minutes later Naruto finally opened his eyes and sighed in exasperation, falling back into the grass. This prompted Hinata and Sasuke to blink their eyes open, though they appeared not to mind that they had been interrupted.

"Don't worry Naruto; you'll get it one of these days," Sasuke assured, leaning back on his hands. Hinata nodded encouragingly. It seemed that, in the same way that Naruto encouraged them in their sparring and took care to give them plenty of rest, the other two encouraged him in the areas he was less adept. It worked better than Iruka could have hoped.

"Your friends are right, Naruto," Iruka confirmed, watching the three closely. "I think I may have thought of a way to help you a little. Hinata, you are able to use your Byakugan, yes?" The girl blushed but nodded, eyes traveling to the ground as if it was something to be embarrassed about. "Excellent. Can you sit right across from Naruto, please?" Iruka had been working on a theory for the last month or so, but without a Sharingan or Byakugan he could not confirm it. Naruto sat up and looked at his teacher dubiously, but shrugged and took up his cross-legged position, Hinata bashfully taking up a position in front of him. "Hinata," he whispered as low as he could manage as Naruto began to focus, making sure only she was privy to his words. "When you look at Naruto with your Byakugan, you might-"

"I-I know sensei," she breathed, and to his relief she did not seem put off. "I looked a few times, to see if I could tell why." Iruka blinked, but nodded.

"Alright then," he said a little louder so that Naruto and Sasuke could hear as well. "I want you to use your Byakugan and watch Naruto as he tries to use his jutsu, alright?" The girl nodded and muttered 'Byakugan' to activate her bloodline. The veins surround both eyes bulged, her blank white, pupil-less eyes also acquiring minute black lines that outlined what might be considered a pupil. "Naruto, try the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

"Yes sensei," he sighed, crossing his fingers and concentrating. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A puff of smoke appeared beside him, revealing again the unrecognizable mound that disappeared quickly thereafter. "Ahg, sensei I can't do it!" Iruka put up his hand, turning to Hinata.

"Hinata, what did you see?"

"Not much, sensei," she admitted dismally, sound for all the world like she believed it was her fault. "He just has so much chakra I can hardly tell if any of it moves . . . The only thing I saw was a little bit of . . . Red chakra, I-I think." She silently berated herself for stuttering after making almost all the way through without.

Iruka had been expecting the first answer, but was taken aback by the addition. "Red chakra? Are you sure?" Hinata nodded, looking frightened like she had gotten in trouble. Iruka shook his head; he would have to talk to the Sandaime about this. However, her insight had confirmed his suspicions. Now he just had to hope that he was correct. "Alright, Naruto. I assume you're only trying to create one clone, right?" Naruto nodded; why would he try to create more? "Try to create more than one. Let's say . . . Try to make three and see what happens." His protégé looked perplexed but complied nonetheless, closing his eyes and forming the seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." It took a second longer than before, but sure enough three puffs of smoke appeared around the boy and . . .

"Well, that's certainly an improvement. I think," Sasuke offered dubiously, looking at the three 'clones' and trying to figure out if his friend had succeeded or not. The bunshin were recognizable now, but looked incredibly thin and pale, wilting to the ground quickly before vanishing in simultaneous puffs of smoke.

"Alright Naruto, I think I know what you need to work on now," Iruka said happily, unable to keep the grin from his face. Meanwhile the blond was rubbing the back of his head, a mixture of pride and embarrassment evident. "I want you to spend more time working on chakra control, but more specifically molding the _smallest_ amount of chakra you can, alright?"

"But sensei, why would I want to use so little?" Iruka hesitated, glancing at Hinata and Sasuke, who were both looking up at him. _Well, they already know about his massive chakra. May as well act like it's not a secret._

"For some reason you have way too much chakra, Naruto. I'm sure Hinata has said something about your enlarged chakra coils?" She and Naruto nodded, though it was apparent that the blond had no idea what that meant. "Basically it means you can hold more chakra than most people. But because you have so much, it's harder to pull out little bits to do normal jutsus. If you practice molding small amounts of chakra, it will help your control for all jutsus. Understand?" Naruto nodded again in a way that said he understood most of it at least. "Good. I have to go to a meeting now, so I'll leave you three to practice." With that Iruka waved and left, hoping his insight proved useful.

As they got back to their exercises Hinata was distracted. She had seen Naruto's vast chakra reserves before and at first it had been shocking, but soon it was something she just accepted as part of him. The red chakra, however, had never been apparent until that day. As a matter of fact, it seemed to spark even more when Naruto created the three bunshin. The Hyuuga had not used her eyes too much outside of her own compound, but never had she seen chakra that was not blue even in the strongest ninja like her father. _Maybe it has something to do with the secret . . ._ she pondered before refocusing her attention on molding chakra.

* * *

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* * *

"What can I do for you, Iruka?" The Sandaime sat back in his office chair, looking a bit older than usual. He smoked his favorite pipe steadily and wore a kindly expression. If Iruka had not known better and the Hokage had not been wearing the hat indicating his office, the old man might appear to be a simple grandfatherly figure. As everybody knew, this was not the case.

"Hokage-sama," Iruka began reverently with a bow, remaining standing as a sign of respect. "I came to ask about a certain . . . Discovery concerning Uzumaki Naruto." He tensed for a moment, but relaxed again upon seeing the Sandaime's smile.

"Ah, Naruto. I never got the chance to personally thank you for taking the boy in. I can see the difference it has made. The Yondaime would be overjoyed to know that the boy had been accepted, even if by one person." The old man's smile faltered at the final mention, continuing after a thoughtful pause. "What is this discovery?"

"Sir, Naruto has befriended Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata. They've become training partners and are helping one another hone their skills. They get along really well and . . ." He coughed and ducked his head, realizing he had gotten carried away. Hiruzen's smile indicated that he did not mind the information, although his expression darkened as Iruka continued. "Hinata was using her Byakugan to monitor Naruto's chakra as he attempted the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A raised eyebrow prompted a brief explanation as to why the seven-year-old was attempting such an advanced technique before he was able to continue. "She told me that there was red chakra present inside of Naruto," he finished in a breath, unable to keep the concern from edging into his tone. "I was hoping that you might have some insight as to what it might be."

"I think you know as well as I what the likely cause is, Iruka," the Hokage sighed, massaging his temples and looking even older. "Chakra in humans is blue. It is always blue, except in unnatural phenomena. As you are well aware, the Kyuubi no Kitsune is an . . . Unnatural phenomenon." They sat in silence for a moment. Iruka had expected but hoped against the coming postulation, but it came nonetheless. "The Fourth invented the seal on Naruto himself. The Eight Trigrams Seal is made to weaken, or 'loosen' over time if you will to allow the Kyuubi's chakra to leak out. If it did not, it would eventually kill the boy." Noticing Iruka's mouth agape, the Sandaime smiled sadly. "Don't worry, Iruka. He is in no danger of causing himself or anybody else harm. The Kyuubi's chakra is volatile though; it will make it much harder for Naruto to perform most jutsus as he gets older."

"The fox's presence within Naruto had already increased his chakra levels to a high chuunin level, and with all of the additional training he has been doing I would wager it has reached jonin level now. Hinata says his coils look like Kakashi's." This news caught the Hokage off guard and he caught himself staring. He had known the approximate effects of having the nine-tails sealed within the child, but he had not expected those results. "I doubt he will be able to utilize such stores," Iruka continued, scratching and shaking his head in bewilderment. "At least the Kyuubi's presence has helped in some areas. Naruto recovers from injuries incredibly fast and has incredible stamina. I've seen him spar for two hours straight, and by the end he had no bruises or scrapes, and he recovered in minutes. I've never seen anything like it." Another sad smile from the Sandaime stopped him from going further.

"Let us hope the effects remain positive. I have faith in Naruto, and I know you do as well." Iruka turned a bit red but nodded. After an unrelated discussion concerning the academy, he was dismissed. For a time Hiruzen stared out the window of his office in the Hokage building, thin tendrils of smoke rising from his long pipe. "Let us hope, and have faith."

* * *

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* * *

Before they knew it classes had begun again. A few months passed uneventfully, though Naruto's marks in all subjects had improved dramatically. Sasuke and Hinata still had the best scores in the class, but after a long summer of training Naruto was catching up quickly. All three were unmatched in their taijutsu, though there were a few students that showed great promise. Kiba appeared to have been training as well, and even Sakura seemed to have done more work than expected on her taijutsu. Shikamaru had developed what Iruka called a 'lazy style' of sparring, but it was surprisingly effective and kept his opponents guessing. What Shino lacked in power he made up for in speed and reach. Choji continued to be a timid boy, though if anybody mentioned his taboo he might be considered an unstoppable force. Ino seemed entirely unconcerned with taijutsu, preferring fawning over Sasuke when she was not working on her chakra control and ninjutsu. Iruka could not complain about that too much; it was important to stick with your strengths, so long as you had the basics down in all areas.

Rankings seemed to change every week among the three friends. More often than not Sasuke came out on top; he had no chance of outlasting Naruto in a long match, so he had to either knock his friend down or score his points fast. When he failed to do either, Naruto claimed the top spot in their sparring for the day. Hinata was not far behind either, and even managed to win once or twice a week. Instead of pride in that accomplishment, however, she chastised herself for not doing better while simultaneously silently cheering the two boys on. Iruka noted that she did seem marginally less shy, but the ground still occupied most of her attention and her nervous habits had not disappeared.

Shortly after Naruto's eighth birthday, in mid-October, everything changed. The news came to Iruka in the middle of the night via an ANBU agent knocking on his door. Naruto lay asleep, tired from a long day. "Meet at the academy, room 201-A. Leave Naruto here." With that brief message he was gone, vanishing like a wraith in the night. Iruka squinted at the moon worriedly, wondering if the reddish tint was just his imagination. He glanced back into his apartment before closing the door and leaping off the balcony towards the academy.

Room 201-A was an auditorium usually used for presentations. Now was no exception, as most of the instructors and many jonin and ANBU sat or stood around worriedly. Every one of them knew this was an emergency situation, but nobody yet knew why. Slowly, a shrouded figure made his way to the dimly lit podium, a trail of white smoke drifting behind him. The Hokage's voice was hard and wracked with anguish, sadness, and rage all in one. His killer intent filled the room and sent shivers through even some of the ANBU. This was serious.

"Konohagakure Shinobi," he began formally, keeping the shaking from his voice. "A few hours ago one of our ANBU agents entered the Uchiha compound to investigate a report of suspicious activity. Upon arrival, it was discovered that the entire Uchiha clan has been . . . Slaughtered." The collective gasps almost outnumbered the disbelieving stares. Nobody could have managed such a thing; the Uchiha were a strong clan, many of their members possessing the Sharingan. There was but one group that _might_ have been able to manage it, and even then . . . "The culprit," the Sandaime continued, gripping the edge of the podium with such ferocity that the wood splintered around his fingers, "Is Uchiha Itachi."

Iruka's mind had gone blank at the announcement. The tragedy was horrific in and of itself, but Sasuke . . . One of Naruto's close friends. When Itachi's name fell there were cries of outrage from the gathered audience, but Iruka could only stare, unable to come to terms with what he was hearing. This was not possible. It was not happening. It could not be.

"There was only one survivor, one we assumed was left out of pity or attachment. Uchiha Sasuke has been placed in protective custody with Ibiki and will be interviewed as soon as he is awake. Itachi is being placed in Konoha's Bingo Book as an S-Rank missing-nin as we speak. He is not to be trusted, and any and all information concerning him is to be surrendered to myself or Ibiki. That is all." The Hokage turned sharply to slowly retreat into the shadows, tailed by several ANBU and his advisors.

_This is a nightmare. It's not happening. I'm going to go to sleep, wake up, and everything will be as it was before. God damn it it's going to be the same._

It was not the same. Iruka had not slept, unable to sink into slumber and instead boring a hole in the ceiling with his eyes. Hours passed before he heard the telltale grunts from the living room indicating that Naruto was up and exercising already. _Naruto . . ._ Iruka did not want to get up. He wanted to lay there forever and sink into the earth. But it was his duty as Naruto's guardian to tell him. He could only pray that the boy . . . _What, that he won't take it poorly? That he won't die inside? Yeah right._ The chuunin steeled himself and got up, walking slowly to the living room and standing tiredly by his student.

"Good morning, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said amiably between sit-ups, grinning ridiculously until he saw the expression on his teacher's face. Iruka looked hollow; empty, as if his soul had taken a vacation and forgotten to tell him. He was pale with dark circles under his eyes, and the usual light behind his eyes was nowhere to be seen. "Sensei . . . What's wrong?"

"Sasuke . . ." His voice was hoarse, and he had to cough before continuing quietly, not able to look the child in his eyes. "Sasuke's clan was wiped out last night. He was the only one who survived."

Silence.

Naruto's face contorted, and for a moment Iruka was unsure whether the boy was bursting with righteous fury or unable to contain the overwhelming sadness. In the end it was both, as the blond ended up with his arms wrapped about his legs with his head buried by his knees, doing his best not to cry but with silent sobs wracking his small body. His nails – which seemed more jagged than normal – had dug into his legs and pierced the skin, spawning a few trickles of blood.

Iruka fell to his knees and embraced the youth, only able to hold back his tears out of his duty as a comforter. "Remember what I said about being there for your friends, Naruto?" he asked softly. He felt the nod and heard a sharp sniff. "Sasuke is going to be in pain for a long time. As his best friend, I trust you'll do everything you can to help him." Another nod was all Naruto could manage before he was crying outright. Iruka already knew that no amount of comfort or understanding could mend the Uchiha's wounds. No matter the pain that Naruto has suffered his whole life, having one's entire family taken from him in one night was a whole different brand of devastation.

All around Konoha that night and morning, parents hugged their children a little tighter than normal. The situation was either explained delicately or overheard, and by the next morning the whole town knew of the scandal. The students filed into class silently, the weight of what had happened not lost on their young minds.

As Naruto reached the top of the stairs leading to his row, Hinata all but sprinted into the room, bolting straight up the aisle and colliding with him hard. It took a moment for anybody surrounding to notice what had happened, but as soon as they had their eyes averted, trying their best to hold back tears of their own. Naruto had been knocked down with his back against the wall, Hinata's tiny arms wrapped around his waist, her face buried in his chest. Much later she might look back and feel ashamed for her actions, but not now. Naruto's face contorted again as he felt his friend's hot tears seeping through his shirt, but he willed himself not to cry. Instead he just leaned over the girl, putting one hand on her back and the other on her shoulder like he had seen some adults and older kids do to comfort people.

Iruka had watched silently as the Hyuuga girl had entered and shot to Naruto for comfort. His eyes averted as well, for he knew it would be impossible to remain stoic if he watched. Hiashi had likely informed his family of the occurrence in the manner fitting of one so cold: emotionlessly, and offering no comfort to the daughter for whom the news impacted so much. Judging by the way Hinata had reacted, it was likely she had spent the early morning by herself.

"Class is cancelled today," Iruka said flatly, standing slowly and looking over his class. None of them looked like they would be able to focus on their studies today. Hell, he would not be able to. "I'll see you all tomorrow." One by one they stood and exited the room silently, none of them wanting to be the first to mention why they were all upset. As the last student left the room – Shino, looking straight faced as Iruka could tell behind his sunglasses and high collar – Iruka looked to the top row. Hinata was still quavering but seemed to have loosened her grip on Naruto. He was simply staring at his instructor with a pleading expression, eyes asking why such a thing had to happen.

"Let's go Naruto. Hinata, I want you to come with us too." She did not move, and Naruto looked down with no small amount of concern, before glancing back up and mouthing the word 'sleeping' with a questioning expression. Iruka could only assume Hiashi had woken his family in the middle of the night to inform them, and following that the young girl had tired herself out by crying for hours. "Can you carry her, Naruto?" he asked quietly. "We're going to the park."

A few minutes later found Iruka and Naruto walking side by side towards the west side of the village, their shadows long in the rising sunlight. Hinata's diminutive form was draped across Naruto's arms, her knees bent over his right forearm while his left supported her back. Her head rested against his shoulder, tear-stained face still red from crying but otherwise peaceful. Iruka looked down at the pair and couldn't help but smile, an expression tainted by the sadness he felt for their friend and the many citizens who had lost their lives the night before. Naruto would take care of his friends; Iruka did not need to remind him.

Before long they were sitting on a bench in the park, watching the sunrise. Naruto had gently placed Hinata down on the bench, though only after Iruka chastised him did he gingerly place the girl's head on his lap. Despite the gravity of the situation, the blond still had the presence of mind to blush a little. Of all the things he had missed out on, interaction with girls seemed to be the haziest situation for the boy. From dealing with his peers he was now aware at least that sometimes you liked one another, but that was the extent of it. Iruka had to admit that Naruto was a bit oblivious, but that was alright. They were still a bit young to be thinking about such things. Naruto was just being a good friend.

"Do they know who did it, sensei?" Naruto asked quietly after a while, the sun's glare in his bright blue eyes. He looked older all of a sudden, much older than the eight-year-old he was. Iruka hesitated, but decided it was better he say it than the truth be overheard from gossip.

"Sasuke's brother, Itachi." Naruto's wide-eyed disbelief was merited. Sasuke only ever spoke highly of his brother, and Iruka knew well the genius Itachi was.

"Itachi? By himself?" The child's brain was trying to put together how that was even possible. He knew well that there were shinobi that had were skilled enough to take on a lot of enemies by themselves, but the entire Uchiha clan? Sasuke had told him vaguely how many people there were in the clan; they had their own miniature town basically.

"Itachi is considered a genius of the Uchiha clan, Naruto. That's why Sasuke looked up to him so much. Itachi went to the academy and graduated in only a year, at the age of seven. He became a chuunin when he was ten, an ANBU agent at eleven, and was an ANBU captain at thirteen." Naruto's bewildered expression increased in magnitude as the Uchiha's accomplishments were listed. Most students did not even graduate from the academy until they were eleven or twelve, but Sasuke's brother had been in ANBU by then. Only a genius could be admitted to the special forces at that age. He began to understand how such a thing had been possible, especially by somebody who was trusted by his people.

"What happens now?" he asked dismally, wondering if his friend would ever be the same again.

"I don't know, Naruto," Iruka sighed, which elicited an incredulous look from his student. "I don't know everything, kiddo," he chided gently, allowing himself to smirk. "What I do know is that it will be hard. When you see Sasuke again he might not be the same; he might never be the same. I don't know what he'll do, either. But you know what you need to do." It was not a question, but Naruto nodded nonetheless. He would do what he could for Sasuke.

* * *

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Two weeks passed without Sasuke in the classroom. No matter how many times Iruka asked after his whereabouts or how his student was, he received the same answer: 'He'll be back in class soon.' Naruto and Hinata had put on brave faces, but there was little in the ways of laughter or even smiles those days. Naruto did his best to try and cheer his friend up, but it was difficult for many reasons. They hadn't seen Sasuke in a while; they had no idea when he was getting back, or if he was going to come back. Naruto's normal light-hearted, positive attitude remained by force of will, but it was strained.

Then finally, one morning in early November, Sasuke walked into the classroom a few minutes late. Or at least, Iruka thought it was Sasuke. He no longer wore his black, long-sleeved shirt with the not-quite-Shino-level collar. In its place was a similarly collared short-sleeve the color of cobalt, the Uchiha clan symbol sewn on the back. His forearms and lower legs were covered by white warmers with blue straps. At least the familiar white shorts completed the attire. But it was not the clothing that made Sasuke look different. It was his eyes.

Sasuke stalked to his usual seat without saying a word, not even to Naruto or Hinata as they sat speechless while he passed by to sit by the window. The Uchiha survivor put his elbows on the table, wove his fingers together, and stared out the window. Sasuke always had black eyes so dark that his pupil was not even visible, but those eyes held knowledge now, years of experience and hardship in only two weeks. His face was devoid of emotion. It was worse than Iruka had expected. Naruto stared for a while before trying his hand at a broad grin.

"Sasuke! It's been-"

"Shut up." Naruto blinked. Sasuke had not even twitched, only stated in a quiet, flat voice his desire for his friend not to speak. The blond glanced at Hinata, who shook her head as if to say 'let's leave him alone for now'. The rest of the class simply stared for a while before Iruka coughed and continued the lesson, trying to give his student time to acclimate. The entire day passed without another word from him.

The only time Sasuke showed emotion throughout the next day was during taijutsu practice. But the expressions were not indicative of who the boy used to be. He was ruthless in his sparring, furious at every point scored against him, and sneering at every victory. Hinata and Naruto were the only ones spared of his scorn, though they did experience his ferocity. It felt like they had never even fought him before. The Hyuuga girl had only scored one point before Sasuke struck three in quick succession, not at all bothering to be soft. One blow left a bruise on Hinata's neck, the other two likely the same on her shoulder and torso. He did not return her bow at the conclusion.

Naruto stepped up to silence, nobody daring to cheer one or the other on. He was unsure what to do as he lowered himself into his stance, waiting. "Sasuke, I-" Without warning Sasuke leapt towards him, and he swore there had been a guttural growl preceding the onslaught. It was everything he could do to keep on his feet and defend, taking two hits within a minute and struggling not to fall so easily. Sasuke was smirking at him the whole time in a way that made the blond want to shudder.

"_You and Hinata are the only ones that have a chance to get through to him."_ Iruka's words from the night before rang loudly in Naruto's ears.

In a sudden surge of energy Naruto blocked a jab so hard it threw Sasuke off balance. In an instant it was over, with the dark-haired youth flat on his back, expressionless as if nothing had happened. Naruto stood over him, breathing hard. He was _breathing hard._ Hinata approached timidly to stand next to him, looking extremely nervous.

"Sasuke," Naruto started quietly, offering a hand to his fallen comrade. "I know how hard you've had it recently, but please don't take your anger out on us. We're your friends, all of us." Kiba looked a bit begrudging but nodded from his place in the circle. Ino and Sakura both agreed emphatically, while Shino nodded silently with no change of expression. Shikamaru shrugged and muttered something about being troublesome, while Choji continued munching on his signature bag of chips. Hinata did her best to smile, but ended up flushing and looking embarrassed as usual. Iruka watched silently, proud of his students for rallying around Sasuke.

"I don't need friends," he said loud enough for everyone in attendance to hear. Hinata covered her mouth and took a step back, and Naruto clenched his fist. Sasuke reached up and swatted his hand away, performing a quick kip-up before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking off. Iruka bit his lip and shook his head. Hinata and Naruto stood together, staring after their friend. Sasuke did not return to classes that day.

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* * *

In Konoha, as in most hidden villages, children were considered adults upon graduation from the academy. Generally speaking, that meant that every genin was mature enough to serve his or her village, and even die for it. However, Iruka could see in several of his student's eyes that adulthood had come early. Reality seemed to have seeped in to many, the knowledge that any of them could be killed at any time forcing some to drop out. By mid-December there were twenty-two left. New students were brought in to take their places; it would be a waste to not fill the empty spaces.

Naruto had decided to give Sasuke space; he and Hinata could do little else since Sasuke refused to associate with anybody. Instead they trained as a pair, spending longer hours than before together. Both achieved landmark successes just before Hinata's birthday on December 27.

Naruto finally managed to mold just enough chakra to summon a single Kage Bunshin successfully; he had managed to make two or three before that, but Iruka had insisted he have the capability to make just one. He – and his clone – had been so excited they had high-fived hard enough to disperse the bunshin, sending Hinata into a fit of giggles. He had to do it again to prove to Iruka he was able to.

Hinata's success came in her chakra capacity and endurance, so it was a much more subtle change that Iruka had to point out to her. The young Hyuuga had trained with Naruto so long that her stamina had increased rapidly without her realizing it. By late December she was able to spar at moderate intensity for almost an hour, and could go all out for a half an hour. The first time Naruto actually became winded during a match Iruka happened to be watching, and the chuunin nearly fell over laughing. _Naruto _had gotten worn down by the girl. While it was hilarious to him, Hinata looked incredibly self-conscious and chagrined, but after quite a bit of encouragement and praise by Naruto she finally offered a small smile and blushed appreciatively.

Neither of them ever gave up on Sasuke, though. Several times a week they would invite him to come spar after classes, and every time he either did not respond or refused flatly. Against his better judgment, Naruto got frustrated one afternoon following their dismissal. As usual, they were the last in the room aside from Iruka.

"Sasuke, I'm tired of this," he said honestly with a sigh, slumping back into his seat while Hinata stared at the table pushing her index fingers together. Sasuke did not react. It was the middle of spring now, and they had not been together as a trio since before the Uchiha clan massacre. Naruto understood, but at the same time he did not. "I know how-"

"Don't tell me you know how I feel, Naruto," Sasuke practically hissed, gripping his own fingers tightly. "You never had any parents. You never had a family. You don't know what it's like to lose _everyone_." Hinata choked a little, but Naruto just watched his friend closely.

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe I don't really know how you feel, Sasuke. But I do know that what you're doing isn't going to help solve anything. What's your goal?" Across the room, pretending to be busy with his paperwork, Iruka blinked. Sasuke snorted like it was a joke.

"I want to kill Itachi. That's all." His voice was mechanical, flat. It was the most obvious thing in the world to him. "It's the only reason I'm alive." Naruto gave him a hard look, but he ignored it. He had not been there, had not seen what Sasuke had. He had not been there when Itachi had trapped him with the Mangekyo Sharingan and tortured him, making him relive the murder of his parents over and over and over again.

"Fine, then let me help too." Sasuke's first show of emotion was surprise, turning to blink at his friend as if searching for an explanation. "We're friends, Sasuke. If you want to kill Itachi, then I'll help you get stronger so that you can one day."

"M-me also, Sasuke-san," Hinata inserted, looking uncomfortable but determined. Sasuke looked from one to the other, shaking his head after a moment.

"You guys can't help me," he said after a moment, turning back to the window. His hands were visibly shaking now; he was not telling them everything. "Itachi . . ." he began in a gruff tone, determined to stare at nothing while he spoke. "He said I would have to kill my best friend in order to defeat him, in order to activate my . . ." Sasuke hesitated, deciding against telling them the fullness of the Uchiha secret. "To activate a higher level Sharingan. I can't have friends; I don't want that power."

"Oh shut up Sasuke," Naruto grinned, rolling his eyes. "You're so dramatic. C'mon, Hinata and I both know you're not going to try to kill us. Even if you do, we'll team up and beat some sense into you. Right Hinata?" Despite looking mortified at the suggestion, she nodded quickly. "See? You can have friends, Sasuke. Just don't let your brother taunt you like that. You'll get him one day, the _right _way, and we'll be there to help you when that happens."

A long moment passed with Sasuke's blank expression slowly softening, until the slightest of smirks graced his lips. For once in his life, the boy looked vulnerable, if only for a moment before collecting himself and nodding. "Alright, I'll try." Naruto was instantly ecstatic, chattering away as they walked to the yard to train together for the first time in months. Hinata remained silent while wiping away a tear or two, smiling at her friends as they went.

Iruka had kept his head down during the ordeal, but had hung on every word exchanged between the trio. He had felt pangs of sorrow, welling pride, and finally joy and relief. Without his aid they were back together again, and things could start getting back to normal and healing. Sasuke would never be the same again, he knew, and it was likely Hinata and Naruto knew as well. But they were together, and would help him get through this.

The instructor's role in his student's lives was shrinking, and he knew it. Even Naruto, who had made so much progress in the last two years, was learning to think for himself and handle situations using his own intuition and intellect. If one of them had trouble with something, the other two would step up and provide their help. In a few years they would be out of the academy, and they would be off in the world on missions for the village. But Iruka was satisfied for the role he had played. His last act as their teacher would be to assign them into groups of three post-graduation, to be placed on teams with a jonin teacher that would oversee their development into chuunin. For that Iruka would fight tooth and nail for, no matter the objections that might be raised. He owed it to them.

* * *

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Before he knew it summer had arrived, bringing with it daily training sessions for Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke. Iruka watched when he had the time, ever impressed at the progress his students continued to make day in and day out. Ever since they had learned of the three jutsus they were required to know for graduation, a portion of every day had been dedicated to their mastery. Hinata and Sasuke could easily perform their bunshin and transformation techniques, and while Naruto had never gotten the hang of the standard clone he could reliably form anywhere from one to ten kage bunshin. He also seemed to have a knack for the Henge no Jutsu. All three of them, however, needed to work on their Kawarimi no Jutsu – Iruka had told them that it was one of the most important. The substitution ability would save their lives in the future.

"You know," Iruka started carefully, eyeing the children as he approached. "At this rate you three could probably graduate in a year or two instead of waiting four more. You'd be genin at an earlier age than most, but I think you might be ready by then." Naruto looked excited, but the enthusiasm quickly diminished as he thought on it for a moment. Sasuke shrugged and continued his chakra exercises, while Hinata looked worriedly to Naruto.

"I think I'd rather stay at the academy, sensei. We still have a lot we can learn there, and I like our classmates a lot. I want to graduate with them, too." Iruka had to stifle a grin, and merely nodded instead. His son's loyalty was admirable.

_Son?_ He blinked at the thought, looking down at the blond youth that was scratching the back of his neck. It had only been two years, but Iruka had watched as Naruto had grown from the village's most detested delinquent to a determined, hard-working ninja in training. Konoha's citizens still sneered and grimaced at him, still hated him for all the wrong reasons, but he had stayed strong throughout. Iruka was proud to be Naruto's guardian and mentor, and maybe one day would allow himself to consider the boy as family.

The chuunin turned with a wave, walking slowly back to his apartment and into the light of the setting sun. It was no time to be thinking of things like that, he chided himself. They were already growing up. He made a mental note to talk to Naruto soon about how to treat young women. The way Hinata was starting to look at the blond boy told him that it would be a necessary conversation.

**Author's Note:**

Greetings.

A word of thanks again to Rhi, my beta, for taking the time to read over and edit my work. You would be wincing much more often if not for her.

This chapter is coming a bit quickly after the last, I realize, so thank you in advance for any reviews/favorites/follows as a result of the last. And remember: don't shy away from constructive criticism!

If you're familiar with what really happened with Itachi and the Uchiha clan massacre, its connection to Danzo and Madara etc, awesome. Otherwise, you'll just have to take my word for it when I say that the Sandaime's explanation is not the whole story, and that's intentional. It doesn't get out in the cannon either.

I am getting ready for a major time skip next chapter that spans two or three years. Now that the Uchiha massacre is done, the major events for their young lives are done with and I can move on to near the start of the show/manga. There will only be one other major happening before their graduation and team assignments, so I guess expect two larger time skips in the next chapter. One to get there, and one to move on from that.

Lastly, most of the last three chapters have been introspection on Iruka's part. As he is the pivotal point in this AU, I felt it was important to examine his point of view. Going forward I will be focusing a great deal on the three main character's developments instead, as the last few paragraphs here suggest.

Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed.

- Wes


	4. Secrets

**Chapter 4 – Secrets**

Time seemed to race by in the aftermath of the Uchiha clan massacre. Naruto and his friends all had goals to work towards: Sasuke sought revenge for his clan, Hinata worked for recognition from her father, and Naruto continued to seek the post of Hokage. All three knew what it would take to accomplish their dreams, and each was willing to sacrifice to help the others obtain theirs. With this mindset they trained, honing their skills on one another throughout their years at the academy.

Almost three years had passed since the group had been reunited. Each of them had mastered the three required jutsu – except Naruto. He had long since given up on the Bunshin no Jutsu after Iruka insisted that the Kage Bunshin technique would be more than sufficient to pass the final exams. Following their successes in ninjutsu, the group took it upon themselves to learn more. Hinata had been taught of elemental jutsus by her father at the Hyuuga estate, sharing the information with her companions. Sasuke, of course, seemed to have a knack for fire techniques, having already mastered one of them at a young age. The other two didn't know what affinity they possessed, so simply learning simple techniques was the only way to go about it.

Over the course of time each of them picked up additional jutsus. Naruto had the most difficult time with this, learning two basic survival techniques to the three or four his friends accomplished. They were both wind-based: one erased scents while the other god rid of tracks.

Sasuke naturally picked up the jutsus for lighting fires and self-heating for cold climates. However, to their surprise he also learned a few lightning-style techniques with relative ease. His pride was kept in check by his own advice, however, noting that the abilities they were learning were all non-combat and their usefulness extended only so far.

Hinata struggled with the elemental jutsus, although not to the same extent Naruto had. She chose, by elimination more or less, to master the water-based jutsus, and after much painstaking practice she finally managed it. She was, however, the only one of their group besides Sasuke that was able to pick up an offensive technique: an earth-style ability that ruptured the ground around a target, preventing movement by trapping their feet. It worked surprisingly well in conjunction with Sasuke's fireball.

After three years it was not difficult to tell which of them had the advantage in taijutsu. Although Sasuke and Hinata's stamina had increased dramatically, neither could match Naruto's endurance. By the time they were all ten years old he was able to spar them both to exhaustion with energy to spare. The blond knew that what he lacked in chakra manipulation he would have to make up for with his taijutsu, and as such focused his efforts on more advanced hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Training aside, Naruto had branched out from his group and befriended a few other of his classmates. He got along with Shikamaru, Choji, and Kiba fairly well, but despite his best efforts it was hard to get even a nod out of Shino, let alone a conversation. Ino and Sakura seemed to despise him for 'getting in their way' or something, although it seemed the majority of their vehemence was directed at Hinata. In their mind, she was competition for Sasuke, and as the only female the Uchiha spent time with she was a prime target for their spite. Sasuke had no interest in making additional friends or returning the affections of his admirers.

Hinata seemed content with her two friends, though she was still painfully shy even with them. No amount of interaction or encouragement seemed to help. Naruto was eternally vexed at this, but resolved just to be the best friend he could be in the absence of others. Every time she looked at him a light blush sprang up unbidden, forcing her eyes back to the ground. Iruka had told him that it meant she liked him, and when the boy matter-of-factly stated he liked her too, his teacher had just shaken his head and said it 'wasn't the same'. Whatever; he would figure it out later.

Shortly after Sasuke's eleventh birthday, at the beginning of their fifth year, Iruka announced to the class that survival training would commence in September.

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"This week is the Tenth Training Ground, right?" Naruto asked between bowls of ramen. It was October 10, five weeks into their survival training program, and they had decided to celebrate Naruto's birthday at Ichiraku's. It was rare that Hinata and Sasuke were with Naruto around so many people, and it was the first time they had been on his birthday.

"Yes, I think so," Hinata said quietly, staring down at her untouched bowl and looking overtly concerned. The girl had changed her normal outfit from years before, favoring a slightly oversized beige coat and a pair of dark capris. The new attire was not on her mind, however, and neither was the upcoming survival training. As they had taken the day off of training and spent more time in the bustle of the village, the Hyuuga heiress had noticed more harsh looks towards Naruto than usual. It had always bothered her, the way they looked at her friend and muttered curses as he passed. But today was different than most days. More than one individual had openly sneered at Naruto, one going so far as to say he was a demon child. Naruto had simply ignored them like always; he said Iruka didn't like him getting upset with those people. But it upset _her._

"N-Naruto-kun," she started hesitantly, cursing herself for stuttering. "People seem . . . More cruel to you today. I-I mean, more than they usually are . . ." Hinata trailed off dismally, both depressed for her friend's sake and helpless to come up with a solution, or even a reason why.

"It's always like that on my birthday, Hinata-chan," he stated matter-of-factly. He failed to notice the furious blush on his friend's face as a result of the added suffix, something he had started doing a year before. In truth it was not something he thought about much; for whatever reason, the citizens of Konoha expressed greater distaste for Naruto around October 10. "It's not a big deal," he shrugged, slurping down a mouthful of noodles from his miso flavored ramen.

"Better to just ignore them anyway," Sasuke grunted, stretching on his stool. Hinata bit her lip, glancing at her dark-haired friend before looking back down at the counter. She had watched Naruto over the years with her Byakugan, noting the steady increase in the red chakra she had first noticed years earlier. The more she considered it, the further convinced she was that it was the source of her friend's travails. Sasuke shared her concerns in a way, but he didn't seem concerned about getting to the bottom of it. As far as he was concerned, if it made Naruto a stronger person, the villagers' attitudes might even be considered a boon.

But Hinata could see it, even if Sasuke refused to. In the same way that Sasuke had hardened a mask of apathy over the years, Naruto had created one of nonchalance and humor. She admired Naruto in the fact that, despite adversity, he put on a brave face day after day and tried his hardest, no matter what. If only she could be so brave.

"I'll . . . Meet you both at the park. I have something to um . . . Take care of." With a rushed bow to Ichiraku's owner, Teuchi, she rushed off into the busy streets, a few coins left by her untouched bowl. Naruto watched after her for a moment before turning back to the counter, looking down at his noodles pensively. He felt . . . Uncomfortable, for some reason.

"Naruto!" The chastising tone came from within the shop. Ayame – Teuchi's daughter – stalked out of the kitchen with her hands on her hips. "What did you do to upset that girl?" Her father sighed, waving a hand at her and cutting in before she could continue.

"Naruto didn't do anything Ayame; when have you ever known our Naruto to be mean?" The kindly middle-aged man smiled at the blond, who returned his grin appreciatively.

"True, dad, but that doesn't mean he knows how to handle a girl's feelings. You'd better be careful, hear me?" Her eyes shot daggers at the boy before softening and winking. Ayame liked him almost as much as her father, and the berating she afforded him only proved as much. "I'm just kidding, Naruto. Would you and your friend like another bowl on the house? It's your birthday, after all!" Sasuke turned her down, though Naruto took up her offer enthusiastically. He would figure out what was up with Hinata later.

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Hinata had quickly made her way to the library, ducking her head as she passed the front desk to search the archives. She had gone there once or twice for the same purpose, as her family library did not seem to have the information she sought. After a fruitless search in the history section, finding books going back about ten years, skipping a few, and continuing through antiquity, she timidly approached one of the library's keepers.

"Ano . . . Excuse me," she started, drawing a hard stare before the librarian recognized her and bowed respectfully. Hinata always felt uncomfortable when people's attitudes changed upon realizing her heritage. "I can't seem to find any information regarding the end of the Third War, specifically about our village," she began innocently enough, willing her stutter away. "There's some vague information about a Kyuubi no Kitsune destroying Konoha, but there aren't many details. Are there any records of our village near that time, about eleven years ago?" The keeper gave Hinata a long, flat look before responding coolly.

"That information is classified. Only a shinobi of higher rank than chuunin can access it. I apologize for the inconvenience, miss." Another bow signaled the end of the conversation, leaving a confused girl to distress over what it meant. She had accepted that her father had been unable to disclose the information to her, as it appeared Sasuke's had. If the adults could not tell them under any circumstance, that meant it was a law rather than a well-kept secret. But what kind of law demanded that an entire period of Konoha history be kept secret from the public? And what did this have to do with Naruto?

Hinata left the library with more questions than when she had arrived, head spinning with possibilities but none of them leading her to an answer.

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A few days later their class was gathered in the yard outside of the academy, all sporting small packs that only carried camping equipment. Many of the students were buzzing excitedly, while others seemed disinterested or even worried.

"Alright everyone," Iruka said brightly as he strode towards them, clipboard in hand with a small pack of his own. "As you know, we're going to be spending three days in Training Ground Ten, which is along the eastern outskirts of the village. Unlike out previous survival training, this is a solo exercise, so there will be no teams here." A collective groan and a few worried glances met his announcement. "Now don't worry too much; myself and Mizuki-sensei will be patrolling the area to make sure nothing happens. Area Ten is about twenty-four square kilometers of dense forest, but there are no inherent dangers outside of your normal wild animals. And let me make this clear: although we are not setting limited boundaries for you, we expect you to avoid your classmates. If we find that you have been allying with one another to complete the exercise, all offending parties will receiving a failing grade. Am I clear?" Everybody nodded. "Good. Then follow me!"

Ten minutes later they all stood in front of the entrance to a vast forest, surrounded only with wooden stakes every few dozen meters to mark the training area. Naruto shrugged his shoulders, adjusting his pack as he chatted with Sasuke and Hinata for a few minutes before they were to enter. The majority of it was him talking _at_ them, as per usual.

"This is going to be fun," he remarked in a bubbly fashion, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I doubt the rest of the class has learned even half the survival techniques we have. This'll be no problem!" Sasuke nodded before looking off into the forest, seeming uninterested. Hinata looked worried, and although that was a normal look for her, it seemed a bit more pronounced today. "You alright, Hinata-chan?" Startled, as if snapped out of a reverie, the girl blushed and nodded quickly, pushing her index fingers together and staring at the ground. Naruto made a face and looked towards Iruka.

"Alright, half of you will be staying here with me. The rest of you follow Mizuki-sensei to the opposite end of the forest. We've synchronized our watches, so at nine sharp everybody will enter the forest at once. I expect you all to disperse immediately, understood?" A chorus of 'yes sensei' and the silver-haired chuunin – Mizuki – nodded, calling out names to follow him before dashing around the perimeter.

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief when she was chosen to follow Mizuki with Naruto. Sasuke afforded them a small smirk as they ran off. It took about fifteen minutes to circumvent the forest, but they arrived with ten minutes to spare until the departure time. The Hyuuga girl stood fidgeting next to Naruto, jumping as she felt his hand touch her shoulder. "Hey, relax Hinata-chan. I know you'll do great," he said with a big, squinty-eyed smile. Despite her flush, she returned the smile meekly. Naruto had a way of making her feel better, even with so much on her mind.

"Alright, thirty seconds to go," Mizuki drawled, sounding bored. "Remember, no working together. And," he continued, eyes traveling over Naruto and lingering for a moment. "Be careful out there." Hinata bit her lip, but there was no time for questions or comments. The chuunin gave the signal and they were off, darting into the trees and scattering in every direction.

_Be safe, Naruto-kun._

* * *

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* * *

A day had passed uneventfully in the forest. Naruto sat dozing against a tree in his small camp in the approaching twilight, his small tent and the remainder of a fire nearby. He had been forced to start the fire manually using some flint and tinder, something Sasuke would never have to do. But he had managed, and after catching a rabbit for dinner and doing some exploring he had quickly fallen asleep. Survival training was pretty boring, after all.

A light rustling nearby roused him immediately, instincts kicking in as he stood into a crouch, kunai clutched in one hand. His eyes darted around, trying to find where the noise had come from when a fistful of shuriken streaked towards him from a tree across the small clearing. He rolled to the side, slightly panicked at being attacked. A classmate would not use weapons against him, so who could it be?

Naruto had gotten used to death threats, and there had even been a few attempts on his life in the orphanage. But since living with Iruka the attacks had ceased, and now was the first time the boy had felt his life threatened in years.

"Well, looks like the demon is quick on his feet." Mizuki dropped from a nearby tree, flanked by two shinobi who also wore vests indicating their rank as chuunin. One was a heavyset, stocky man brandishing a weighty club. The other was a wicked looking woman that looked to be in her mid-twenties; her weapon of choice was a short, curved sword drawn from a sheath on her back. Mizuki had two giant shuriken strapped to his back and was currently spinning a kunai on the index finger of each hand. Naruto could feel their killing intent from where he stood.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled quickly, summoning as many clones as he could manage. Thirty clones, all armed with kunai, crouched in front of the oncoming group. _Three chuunin. One me, thirty clones to work with._ The odds were stacked against him, he knew; the bunshin were much sturdier than regular clones and could act on their own in a way, but a solid blow would disperse them. Naruto knew that he had trained hard for the last several years, but these were three that had been ninjas for longer than he had been alive. They had the advantage of experience, and were likely stronger than him individually.

"What did I ever do to you?" one of the clones growled contemptuously, edging forward slightly. The rest muttered agreement, as if they had all been poised to ask the same thing. The real Naruto waited, watching and worrying.

"What did you do?" Mizuki laughed; it was a cold, hollow sound. "Why, you destroyed half the village, killed the Fourth Hokage, and murdered countless others. Including Iruka-sensei's parents."

"Mizuki," the male crony muttered, glancing around nervously. "That's against-"

"So? The boy's about to die; he may as well learn of his heritage." The silver-haired chuunin grinned, eyes flashing in the fading light. Without warning he flung the two kunai mid-spin, piercing four clones in total. In a fluid motion he had detached one of the monstrous shuriken from his back and flung it hard, and despite efforts to dodge another handful of bunshin vanished in puffs of smoke. Eighteen Narutos remained.

"I'm not a demon!" Naruto shouted, letting a fist of shuriken fly followed closely by his kunai. Several of the clones threw their weapons as well. Mizuki dodged most of them without issue, though was forced to deflect several with another kunai. His allies were not as quick, the woman rolling to the side with a gash on one arm, the stocky man growling and pulling a shuriken from his thigh.

"Oh yes you are, Naruto-kun." He threw more shuriken, piercing three more clones. With only fifteen bunshin remaining Naruto decided he had to act. He tried to ignore Mizuki's taunting as his clones engaged the two chuunin, leaving his instructor to walk slowly towards him. "Eleven years ago the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked Konoha. It nearly destroyed everything, and would have if the Yondaime had not sacrificed his life to protect the village. He sealed the demon inside of a newborn, a child born October 10, eleven years ago."

Naruto was desperately trying not to listen, but the words pierced through his concentration. The villager's murmurs and curses made sense. _Damn fox. Demon. Destroyer. _Separately they had not meant much, but together they corroborated Mizuki's taunting. And the red chakra . . .

"Shut up!" Naruto shouted, another kunai in his hand as he charged forward. To Mizuki's surprise the boy was not a pushover, forcing him to actively defend himself from a bout of skillful taijutsu interwoven with thrusts and slashes from the kunai.

"Hey kid, you're not bad. Too bad you're just too inexperienced." As Naruto thrust forward, burying his blade into the man, he gasped. Mizuki had vanished in a cloud of smoke, a log left in his place, inside of which Naruto's kunai had been lodged. The boy turned, but not fast enough. An intense stab of pain caused him to stagger forward, the oversized shuriken protruding from his back. "Too easy."

His remaining clones dispersed, though only three had lasted that long. The two chuunin appeared to be panting, not having expected the bunshin to put up such a fight. The furious kunoichi was a little worse for wear, sporting multiple cuts and gashes whereas her male counterpart had inflicted only minor injuries. "I'm gonna kill this kid," she growled.

"Now now, we have to make this quick or else we'll be discovered," Mizuki droned, bored. "You both get one shot each before I finish him. Be sure not to kill him; that privilege is mine alone."

Naruto was on his knees, breathing hard. The Kage Bunshin technique had taken a lot of chakra, more than he had expected. On top of that, he had expended the majority of his projectiles and was losing blood fast. Mizuki approached casually, and though Naruto attempted to struggle to his feet the man viciously yanked the weapon from his back. He gasped, falling back to the ground and coughing up blood.

"Me first," the woman scowled, stepping forward with her sword drawn. With a ruthless thrust the blade pierced through his shoulder near the collarbone, cutting into the bone on its way through his body. Naruto ground his teeth together, trying and failing not to cry out. His scream was interrupted by a fit of coughs, splattering more of his blood on the forest floor. The woman smirked and left the sword in, striding away and looking satisfied.

The other chuunin approached with little ceremony. Channeling chakra into his club, he swung it hard, catching Naruto in the chest. A sickening crunch seemed to echo around the small clearing. Naruto was launched up and backwards, slamming into a tree and dislocating his shoulder. Before he could fall to the ground, eight of Mizuki's shuriken pinned his limbs to the tree trunk.

"I've been waiting to see this for years, Uzumaki Naruto. Or should I say Kyuubi no Kitsune? Either way, it's time to rid you from our village once and for all." A kunai appeared in the man's hand, light from the sinking sun glinting off of the blade menacingly.

Naruto was barely conscious. His vision was hazy and marred by blood that had dripped into his eyes. He could hardly even see the kunai that was threatening to finish him off, but he knew it was there. He could hear Mizuki's voice, like an echo coming from far off. But he knew. _Can't die . . . Not yet. Have to help Sasuke, have to . . . Hokage. Hinata, too. Can't . . ._

"Doton: Earth Rupture!" a breathless voice yelled from the trees.

Mizuki leapt into the air as soon as he recognized the jutsu, snarling as he was forced to backflip away from his prey. His two comrades were either caught off guard or too injured to move, because both found their legs trapped in a mixture of earth and rock that had sprung from the ground. Mizuki cast around frantically for the source before glaring back at Naruto. He could at least finish the job before retreating. He fired off two kunai at the incapacitated boy.

A small form shot from the underbrush, reaching Naruto in a blur of speed and deflecting the two projectiles with a kunai. The trapped blond could not even lift his head to see what was going on, his half-lidded eyes only able to make out the furry hem of a tan jacket and a pair of dark pants, cut off below the knee.

Hinata stood in a ready stance directly in front of Naruto, breathing harder than normal and struggling to maintain control of her emotions. With the help of her Byakugan she had watched the scene unfold, cursing her legs for their inability to carry her faster than the dead sprint she had been moving at. She choked back tears; even without looking she could see her friend's condition clearly – the Hyuuga bloodline ability provided nearly 360 degree vision.

"I made it . . ." she breathed, trying desperately to calm herself. She had chosen a location to camp that had been within the maximum range of her Byakugan from Naruto, and although she had felt silly about it at the time she now thanked whatever gods that existed for their aid.

"Cute, the demon's girlfriend comes to the rescue. I don't have time for this." Mizuki grunted, pulling both shuriken from his back and releasing them towards the girl, one after another with the second hovering just below the first.

"Hin . . . ata . . ." Naruto barely whispered, his collapsed lung working against any attempt to speak. "Run . . ." He coughed weakly, more blood dripping from his lips. Hinata clenched her jaw and pulled out another kunai, shaking her head violently.

"I won't!" It was the most forceful thing the girl had ever said. "I won't just let you die!" She knew that stopping both massive projectiles would be nearly impossible on her own, but she had to try. If she moved they would strike Naruto head on, ensuring his demise. No, she would stop them. She had to.

As the whirling blades approached she channeled as much chakra as she could into her hands, forcing it into the kunai. The blades vibrated violently, not meant to hold chakra, but it was all she had. The first shuriken struck her hard, grinding against the chakra enhanced blades that were crossed in front of her. She ground her teeth and was forced back a half meter, and despite the burning in her limbs she let one hand drop. The released pressure brought the spinning weapon centimeters from her neck, held back just barely by a trembling arm. She grunted as the second shuriken impacted, striking at the lowered weapon in front of her torso.

It was too much, as expected. Hinata's feet dragged against the dirt, heels forced back until they touched the tree holding Naruto. The second shuriken was already burning into her side, blood splattering backwards. She cried out in pain, and her kunai shattered. Her chakra-infused hands were the only things holding them back now, skin tearing from her palms from the incredible friction. This was it. She was going to die. One last thought flit through her mind as the rotating blades reached her throat. _At least I can die with him._

And then the pressure was gone. Hinata collapsed at the base of the tree, blue flames flickering from her bleeding palms as she sagged against the base of the tree. Her breath was ragged, but aside from the deep gash in her side she was unharmed. She cast around her enhanced vision quickly, her pounding head making it take a little longer to locate her rescuer.

"Sasuke-san . . ."

The Uchiha stood several meters to the side, both shuriken spinning in his hands. His eyes were hard on Mizuki, cold and calculating. Hinata had been so focused on stopping the weapons that she had not seen him fly in from the side to snatch the weapons away.

"Stay with Naruto, Hinata-san. I'll take it from here." She nodded tiredly, unable to move at the moment even if she had the desire to. Sasuke spread his arms, launching the blades back at their owner with deadly precision. Mizuki was forced to dodge away, the shuriken slicing into the tree he had been standing in. "Katon: Great Fireball!" Instead of aiming at Mizuki, Sasuke had fired the massive flame at the two immobilized ninja who had been struggling to free themselves since being captured moments earlier. A pair of screams rent the air as the fireball passed and dissipated, leaving two scorched, twitching bodies behind. They were not dead, but their burns would effectively take them out of the fight.

"I get how the Hyuuga got here, but how did a brat like you find us?" the chuunin asked in an exasperated tone, wrinkling his nose at the smell of scorched flesh. Seeing his comrades taken down did not seem to bother him in the least.

"I was searching for a water source when I saw you pass by," Sasuke responded evenly, fingers curling into fists. "It seemed suspicious that you had two other chuunin with you, so I followed. You shouldn't be so careless."

"Whatever. Two down, one to go!" Mizuki snarled, landing across the clearing from Sasuke.

"I was thinking the same thing, sensei," he said coolly, crouching into a taijutsu stance. "I don't know why you want to kill Naruto, but I won't let you lay another finger on him or Hinata-san." Unwilling to let Mizuki respond, he rushed forward and attacked.

"I really hate kids," Mizuki grunted after receiving a solid blow to his stomach, returning a kick that brushed Sasuke's chin. For kids, they weren't bad. But they were still kids. He was better than them; he knew it. "Doton: Earth Fist!"

Sasuke grunted as the blow crushed his block and struck his shoulder, sending him careening back into the center of the clearing. He managed to land on his feet, but his arm hung limply at his side and his breathing was labored. Mizuki appeared to be having difficulties breathing now as well, having manipulated his large shuriken several times and fought two opponents, on top of being forced to use a more advanced earth-style jutsu.

"Alright, enough playing; sit down, kid. Doton: Earth Rupture!" He pushed a palm to the ground, forcing the ground around Sasuke up and capturing a leg before he could leap away. "Now stay there and watch. I'm going to kill the demon and your friend now, and then I'll come back to you."

"Get back here and fight me you bastard!" Sasuke shouted, striking at the rocks about his leg, struggling to break free. _Not again. Not again. Not again._

"You'll get yours soon. First I'm gonna have some fun with little miss Hyuuga here." Mizuki's smirk could only be described as evil. He approached Hinata with deliberate slowness, eyeing her up and down. "You know, you're pretty well developed for your age. I might actually enjoy this." He laughed, a sound that chilled the helpless girl to her bones.

But she couldn't move. All she could do was glare defiantly at him, pressing herself back against the tree. Naruto's vision was going dark, and the sounds he could hear were muffled. He could see the way Mizuki was looking at Hinata, however, and it made him . . . Angry. He held on to the anger as if it were a lifeline, pouring his hate into it. Every shred of scorn and loathing that had built up over the years was suddenly boiling over. His vision gained a red tint, and then everything went dark.

* * *

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* * *

"_**Uzumaki Naruto,"**_ a voice rumbled in a dull roar, rousing him. Every centimeter of his being felt like it was on fire as he slowly sat up, wondering why everything was so . . . Wet. _**"Uzumaki Naruto,"**_ the voice came again, louder this time. Why did it sound so familiar? Naruto glanced around as he stood, jaw dropping as he saw the massive gate he had woken in front of.

The ceiling of the colossal room disappeared into darkness, as did the rust-colored bars of what appeared to be a prison cell. A large square paper was placed over where the two sides of the gate met, the word 'seal' written plainly on it. Beyond the gate lay complete blackness, save for a pair of giant crimson eyes. The pupils were barely visible slits.

"_**UZUMAKI NARUTO." **_The roar nearly knocked him over, a wave of pure hate washing over him from inside of the cell. _**"Answer me you damned brat. If you don't do so quickly, you and I are both dead."**_

"Who . . . What are you?" he asked hesitantly. His head hurt; _everything_ hurt. Where was this? How did he get there? Where was . . . "Where's Hinata? And Sasuke? Where are my friends?" He was panicking, looking around wildly and all but ignoring the menacing chuckle that shook the room.

"_**Fool. You're a hair's breadth from death and you think of your friends. I'd love to talk, but right now you need me or you **__**and**__** your friends will die, which means I die too. Come over here."**_

"Why should I trust you?" Naruto's mind was racing, trying to put everything together. At every turn he was brought back to the only thing that made sense: the demon. This was his demon. Mizuki had been telling the truth. He suddenly felt sick, lurching forward and dry heaving into the shallow water.

"_**You don't have a choice, idiot. Look, I'm not trying to escape; I'll work on that later. Right now, we need to live. Now get your imbecilic ass over here before your girlfriend gets gutted, or worse."**_

Naruto stiffened, straightening slowly. He had no idea where he was, was helpless to escape, and the last thing he remembered was Mizuki walking up to Hinata and taking her arm. Was he dead? He shook his head, taking a step forward, then another. Moving was difficult, for some reason. A moment later he was directly in front of the gate, staring into one of the giant irises. A single claw extended from the darkness, reaching slowly through the space between the bars. It hovered a moment less than a meter from him, before plunging straight through his chest.

The world spun, and a mad cackle roared in his ears as everything faded away again.

"_**Don't die, kid."**_

* * *

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* * *

Hinata pulled futilely on the arm Mizuki held, tears leaping to her eyes unbidden. _I can't cry. I won't. Naruto-kun wouldn't like that. Naruto-kun . . ._ She couldn't help it. A choked sob racked her diminutive form as the sinister chuunin reached for her neck. This was it. She was going to die crying. _How pitiful . . . Father was right; I don't deserve to be the heiress. I don't . . ._

She blinked. Mizuki had frozen, hand so close to her neck that he could feel the heat from his palm. Instead of focusing on her, his eyes were bulging, staring at something behind her. And then she felt it: a massive chakra spike unlike anything she had ever experienced. If she had not already been on the ground it would have brought her to her knees. The rocks surrounding Sasuke and the defected chuunin crumbled. Slowly, she turned her head, not trusting the Byakugan to see for her. Hinata's breath caught in her throat.

"Naruto . . . kun . . ."

A shroud of red chakra enveloped Naruto, surging around him and spiking at odd angles. The shuriken pinning him to the tree dissolved inside of the malevolent chakra, and Naruto fell to the ground on all fours. He was so close to Hinata that she could hear the bones grinding together as he moved, and she could see his wounds sizzling shut. The chakra was pouring out of him like a fountain, and she could see the strange seal on his torso from where it seemed to come. Frozen in fear, she merely stared at her friend, wide-eyed and unable to speak.

Sasuke had fallen to his knees as the wave of killing intent hit him, his eyes locked on Naruto, disbelief painted all across his features. "Naruto . . .?" He could say nothing else. Never had he seen anything like this from his friend, or anyone else for that matter. The power radiating from the blond was otherworldly.

All at once the aura faded, fiery chakra dissipating to leave only a thin veil surrounding Naruto. He was standing tall, staring at Mizuki with his head cocked to the side. His face was contorted in what appeared to be a feral snarl. The nails on his hands had grown to what appeared to be claws, and the whisker-like scars on his face had broadened. But it was his eyes that held the most terror. Naruto's bright blue eyes that always held so much hope and joy were now the color of blood, pupils reduced to vertical slits like that of some . . . Demon.

Mizuki staggered backwards, falling to the ground with a frightened cry. "S-see, I t-told you! You're a d-demon! Get away! G-get away!" He was trying to scramble to his feet and flee. Hinata would never forget the horrid grin that graced her friend's lips at that moment.

Neither Sasuke or Hinata had seen him move, but suddenly Naruto was next to Mizuki. With a sickening crunch the chuunin was launched into the air, his ribs crushed with a single kick from the enraged youth. Before he had flown out of reach he was caught, Naruto's claws digging deep into his shoulder and preventing him from moving further away. The bloodthirsty grin did not falter. Mizuki was thrust towards the ground, forming a small crater with the force and fracturing nearly every bone on the left side of his body. Blood spilled from his mouth as broken ribs punctured his lungs.

It had all happened so fast that Hinata and Sasuke were barely able to follow it. Now, however, Naruto slowly lifted the broken shinobi into the air by his neck, ignoring the gurgling pleas. He pulled a fist back and chambered it, eyes boring into the barely struggling query.

"_Any last words?_" Naruto snarled, echoing the man's words from minutes earlier. Mizuki's one working eye went wide in terror as the boy smirked again. Naruto's killing intent had not diminished since the strange ability had activated; as a matter of fact, it had increased, and now felt like a heavy blanket of pressure on the whole clearing.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata gasped, causing him to falter, crimson eyes traveling slowly to her. "Don't do it, please," she pleaded, almost sobbing. "It's enough; you won. Please, just put him down. We're safe now. Please . . ." Her body shook as a fresh wave of sorrow took her.

It was too painful to watch. Her best friend, the boy she admired more than anybody had turned into something he was not. He was ready to kill that man in cold blood even after nearly beating him to death. The battle was won, but Naruto's blood-thirst was palpable. She could see it in his eyes, feel it in the air. This wasn't Naruto. "Please," she cried one last time.

Naruto glared at the girl and his face contorted, as if having a sudden emotional conflict. He turned back towards Mizuki and grinned, and for a moment seemed like he was going to strike the finishing blow. But instead the chuunin fell to the ground in a pitiful twitching heap, Naruto's fist falling to his side. Slowly the red glow faded, his nails reverting back to their original state. The last to change were his eyes, shifting from red to blue, then back again several times before finally settling on the familiar aquamarine.

And then he was falling. The last thing he remembered was Sasuke running to his side and Hinata calling his name. Then everything got cold, and the world spun into blackness.

* * *

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* * *

The first thing he heard sounded like worried whispers which stopped abruptly as his finger twitched. Everything hurt, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Breathing was difficult and swallowing felt like drinking fire. There was a foreign pressure near his side and in his palm, but for a time his eyelids felt too heavy to open and check what they were. An uncomfortable light shone from somewhere above him. He was tired. Sleep took him over again. The second time he roused things hurt less, but the pressure was still there. There was no light this time, thankfully. Slowly, painfully, he opened his eyes.

Naruto was resting on a hospital bed, with a curtain drawn around him and a window nearby. It was dark outside, but the moonlight let him see that nearly every part of him was wrapped in bandages or in a cast. He tried to move his arm, but quickly found that it was a mistake. A soft gasp escaped him as pain shot up from his fingers to the base of his neck. Something stirred near his other arm, and he glanced down to find the source.

Hinata lay asleep in a chair next to him, her head resting near his side, one of her bandaged hands tucked into the cast on his hand. There were dark circles under her eyes and the sheets near her face were wet. He could see bandages through the gash in her coat as well. Naruto watched her for a time, several different emotions vying for his attention before he finally tore his eyes away. Sasuke was there as well, sleeping silently in an armchair near the window.

Tears burned as they fell down Naruto's face; his sad smile was only the slightest upward twitch at the corner of his mouth. _They're safe. _It was the only thought in his mind as he closed his eyes, calm replacing the overwhelming sadness and pain that wracked his soul. As long as they were safe, everything was alright. Even if he had killed Mizuki, even if he was a demon, even if he had died; his friends were safe. That comfort carried him back to a fitful slumber, with nightmares of demon eyes haunting him for hours.

* * *

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* * *

"Oww, Hinata-chan that hurts!" Naruto flinched, though couldn't help but smile. It had been a week since the incident with Mizuki and he was healing fast, already out of his casts and just waiting for the major internal injuries to fully repair. Hinata and Sasuke had returned to classes a few days prior, but rather than train as Naruto insisted they always came to his room after with Iruka.

"S-sorry, Naruto-kun," she stammered, turning a deep shade of pink and stepping back. It was the first time they had seen him without his casts, and the girl had been overcome with the desire to hug her friend out of a mix of joy and relief at seeing his recovery. She slid back off of the bed to sit pressing her index fingers together, staring at the floor and looking every bit as embarrassed as she felt.

"It's alright; just try not to hug so hard next time," he joked lightly, grinning at Sasuke who was standing near the base of the bed. "How're classes going, glove boy?"

"Very funny," Sasuke remarked dryly, but cracked a smirk despite himself. His forearm was still covered in the plaster cast and held up by a sling. "It's not my fault I can't recover freakishly fast from my bones shattering. Classes are boring as always, though just a good amount worse since I can't spar." He grimaced at his arm before taking a seat and leaning against the wall with a sigh.

"When did your medic-nin say you could be released?" The question came from Iruka this time, who had been standing behind Sasuke. He was putting on a brave face like he always did visiting Naruto; in truth he was riddled with guilt for what had happened to his students. He knew, deep down, that it had not been his fault, but he was responsible for their lives while they were at the academy. He wasn't sure if he would ever forgive himself.

"Another week at best," Naruto lamented, making a face and throwing his hands in the air, an action he immediately regretted for the spikes of pain it sent through his healing pectorals. He winced and quickly moved his arms back down, grinning foolishly.

"You had better not try to leave early," Iruka lectured sternly to his sullen charge. "It's your responsibility to heal up quickly so you can resume your training. You only have one year left after this."

"Iruka-sensei," Sasuke interrupted suddenly, causing the three present to turn to him curiously. The boy had become quieter since Itachi's betrayal, but he had been particularly withheld in the last week. His next statement surprised everybody more than the interruption had. "Could you give us a few minutes to talk?" Iruka blinked, glancing at Naruto for a moment before nodding slowly.

"Sure, Sasuke. I need to head to a meeting soon anyway. I'll see you two tomorrow, and Naruto," he continued, hesitating at the entrance to the room. "Get some rest. Don't keep your friend up too long, you two." With a smile and a wave he was gone, the door sliding shut behind him.

Sasuke stood and drew the curtain around Naruto's bed so that they couldn't be seen from the hallway. He walked slowly back to his chair and sat down heavily, rubbing his temples with his uninjured hand. "Naruto, I can't put the question off anymore." As he started speaking Naruto averted his gaze opposite both of his friends, mouth turning down into a rare frown. He knew what was coming; it had only been a matter of time. "What was that . . . Thing. What happened in the woods that day?"

The silence rang loudly in their ears for a time as Naruto struggled with a response. Hinata was biting her lip and looking from Sasuke to Naruto, worry etched on her smooth features. Finally he shrugged, another action he regretted immediately. "I don't know," he answered in partial honesty, still not meeting either of his friend's eyes. "I just got really mad all of a sudden when Mizuki-sensei went for Hinata-chan. It felt like . . . Drowning in anger or something."

"Mizuki isn't our sensei anymore. And that doesn't explain the red chakra that was leaking out of you, or that insane speed and strength. And your eyes; why were they red?" Naruto blinked several times, and it took a moment for him to notice that he was blinking back tears of frustration.

"I don't . . . I don't remember most of it. I remember going for him, then lifting him up, and then Hinata-chan's voice. After that I blacked out again." It was an honest answer, even if not what Sasuke was asking. Everything was muddled in his head, but he knew what had happened. Hinata's hand twitched in her lap, like it wanted to move somewhere but lacked the strength or courage.

"Mizuki called you a demon," Sasuke stated flatly, scowling at him. "It's the same thing I've heard the villagers call you. Before last week I just took it as run-of-the-mill insults, but now I'm not so sure. Does this have to do with the secret none of the adults will talk about?"

"Probably," Naruto said tightly, gritting his teeth. "Look I don't want to talk about it. It's not . . . It's none of your business." He was glaring at wall still, but there was a frightened look in his eyes that Hinata could barely make out. Sasuke just looked at him hard, considering pushing the topic further.

"Fine." Sasuke rose from his chair pulled back the curtain. "I'll see you tomorrow." Then he was gone, the door closing behind him moments later.

Naruto continued his staring contest with the wall, trying not to let a fresh wave of tears have their way. A timid hand touched his and he turned back to Hinata, her eyes shimmering with the same unshed tears. "I guess you want to know if I'm a demon too," he spat miserably, hating himself as soon as the words left his mouth. Her hand retreated a small distance and she gave him a look that made him feel like he had just stabbed her. But surprisingly her hand moved back to his, tenderly slipping her fingers past his palm and gripping tightly.

"I know you're not a demon, Naruto-kun," she said softly, willing her eyes to stay on his. Flashes of the once blood-thirsty spheres played in her vision but she pushed them away, looking only to the Naruto she knew and cared for. "Y-you don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to . . . But Naruto-kun," she started with more passion than she knew was inside of her, "It doesn't matter what happened. I – We know who you are. Don't let Mizuki-sen – I mean Mizuki's words get to you."

Naruto stared at his friend for a long moment. She had seen him mercilessly bring a man near to his death, ready and willing to strike the final blow. She had looked into his eyes, eyes he knew had been wholly demonic and sinister. She had seen, yet still looked past it, still saw Naruto instead of the beast he had become. Iruka's words echoed in his mind as he watched her blush deepen by the second.

"_Those people can't see the real you, Naruto. They can't see past their bias and who they think you are. You are only as good or bad as you decide to be. It's what you decide that matters, not what they think."_

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," he said finally, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. He winced, but still smiled. She turned several shades darker and looked down, causing Naruto to lift an eyebrow and wonder what he had said wrong. After another mistake of a shrug, he leaned back and closed his eyes. He chatted with Hinata about medical jutsus until he dozed off, leaving her to watch him with what might as well be permanently pink cheeks.

* * *

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* * *

A week later Naruto was released from the hospital. He had been kept a few days after the medical-nins had deemed him dischargeable to ensure he was healed completely. The staff was baffled at the speed at which he healed, though it didn't keep them from giving him nasty looks on the way out.

All three had been interrogated by a frightening man named Ibiki, although the evidence was fairly conclusive that the chuunin had been at fault. Everybody seemed curious as to how the battle had ended, so they pinned the victory on the only one of them that had been standing at the end. Sasuke had allegedly finished off Mizuki with an earth-style jutsu that had crushed the man more violently than intended. In the end they were cleared to leave and hoped to never have to encounter the interrogator again.

He received a generally warm reception returning to the academy; even Shino approached him and nodded in acknowledgement. Things returned to normal quickly, with the group falling into their normal routine but with renewed vigor. Although Iruka insisted they had fought incredibly against three much higher ranked ninja, they were all determined to improve themselves in light of being beaten. Naruto spent most of his time doing endurance training to further expand his chakra stores, and once or twice sought out Kakashi for information on how to better handle his clones during combat.

Before long winter had come and gone, leaving more seasoned eleven-year-olds in its wake. Sasuke occasionally brought up Naruto's transformation when they were alone, but eventually stopped asking after the last time the blond got upset over the issue. He would find out one day, he was sure, and Naruto had given him space when he had needed it.

Since the incident Naruto had decided a change in wardrobe was in order. He kept the indigo cloth wrap on his forehead, but he had outgrown most of his t-shirts and shorts by now. Iruka had taken him shopping after he was released from the hospital to pick up new clothes. More often than not Naruto could be seen sporting a dark grey shirt with a thick, black sleeveless coat that reached down to his shins, usually worn open in the front. He kept the cargo shorts, only changing to color to one less bright, varying between black and dark blue. He had been unsure of the change for a few days until he asked Hinata's opinion; for some reason her stammering and blushing was enough confirmation for him.

Hinata seemed more and more stressed as their fifth year came to a close, though neither Sasuke nor Naruto could pinpoint why. She never spoke of her personal life or family, so they were both left fairly clueless, not that Sasuke cared much to find out. Naruto, though, fretted over it constantly, finally breaking it to Iruka on the first day of summer.

"Iruka-sensei, I can't figure out why Hinata-chan is so . . . Weird lately. She's more stressed than usual and won't tell me why. She also looks redder than usual but she doesn't have a fever." Iruka had a few guesses, but he allowed Naruto to continue his rant. "And I don't know why but it bothers me when she looks upset. I mean it bothers me when Sasuke's upset too, but he's always sorta upset, but still it's not the same. I just want to fix it but I don't know how and-"

"Naruto," Iruka started with the smallest of devious smiles. "You like Hinata, don't you?" Naruto blinked back at him and laughed, like it was a silly question.

"Of course I do, sensei; we've been friends for five years. Are-"

"No, really listen to the question this time. You. Like Hinata. Don't you?" He emphasized the words slowly, carefully. It took much longer than he would have liked, but gradually Naruto's face reddened and he wrinkled his nose. _Yep._

"No way Iruka-sensei; she's my best friend. Well, one of my best friends. I can't _like_ my best friend like that." The idea was absolutely absurd to him.

"Why not?" The unanswerable question had stopped the boy dead in his tracks. He was so adamant about his inability to think about Hinata that way, but had no idea why.

"Because – Because we're just friends! What does this have to do with Hinata-chan acting weird, sensei?" He looked up at Iruka crossly, his face still a bit red.

"Oh maybe nothing. Maybe everything, too. I can't say I know," Iruka said mysteriously, giving Naruto a small nudge as he walked past. For some reason Naruto felt even more confused and helpless than before. Why did it matter if he liked Hinata? Not that he did; they were just friends. But . . . He sighed. Just another thing to think about. Maybe an answer would come during the summer some time.

It didn't.

**Author's note:**

Whew, that one was harder to write than the others, but I got through it.

I took some creative liberties here, as well as some risks with my writing. I wanted to make the important scene in this chapter as detailed as I could and give everybody a bit of the spotlight. I had about a page and a half written for Naruto explaining his conversation with Mizuki to the rest and revealing the secret, but decided that was something for a later chapter.

This may be my last chapter for a little while, unfortunately. I leave May 15 for a cross-country bike trip that will take the better part of six weeks to complete. I'll have my tablet with me but writing is much slower using that, plus I'll only really have evenings to write, if I have time at all.

TL;DR: I might not have any updates for a while, and for that I apologize. :(

Thank you again for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting. I'm going to try and get one more chapter written before I leave on Wednesday, so expect the youngins to graduate just before I go on my forced hiatus.

Wes


	5. Genin

**Chapter 5 – Genin**

"_Yes, Hokage-sama. The Kyuubi's chakra was sensed nearly fifty kilometers away from the point of origin, although it seemed to be a small flux. To avoid panic a statement was released indicating that we were testing a powerful jutsu in Training Ground Ten that day. Ibiki's interrogation of the offending chuunin revealed that they had attacked and provoked Uzumaki Naruto and his classmates. It is also clear that Mizuki told the boy of his role as the Kyuubi's vessel, though it is unclear whether or not the other two children were present for the explanation. By their accounts it seems unlikely."_

"_Thank you for the report. You are dismissed." The messenger bowed respectfully before departing, leaving the Sandaime and Iruka alone in the office once again. It had been three days since the attempt on Naruto's life, as well as the lives of his friends. "How is he doing?" he asked tiredly, setting his signature pipe down with a sigh._

"_He's recovering fast, thankfully. He's always seemed to heal from his injuries quickly; I hate to admit it, but the Kyuubi probably saved his life. Nobody else could have survived in his condition." Iruka tried his hand at a laugh, but it came out hollow and unconvincing._

"_My advisors, as well as the village council," Hiruzen began hesitantly, not sure if the information was appropriate to reveal to the instructor, "Have recommended that Naruto be detained until further notice. They believe him to be a danger to the village."_

"_That's absurd!" Iruka was on his feet without realizing it. "By all accounts he was backed into a corner, and if he hadn't used the demon's chakra he would have died. Not just him, but Hinata and Sasuke as well! What kind of incompetent-" The Sandaime held up a hand, a tiny smirk quirking at his lips._

"_I am of the same opinion, Iruka. I would not allow Naruto to suffer for something out of his control, and especially not when his actions saved the lives of two other students. I'm surprised that . . . Certain parties voted the way they did, in light of that information." A frown made the elderly Hokage seem even older than usual. They both knew who it was that he referred to: Hyuga Hiashi. "In any event, there was one action I could not prevent, nor did I object to. While Naruto remains in Konoha he will be monitored by ANBU agents who have sealing capabilities, both to ensure his safety and to contain him should there be another incident." Iruka nodded; even if he didn't like it, it was a reasonable demand._

"_Hokage-sama . . . I'm not sure what to do," Iruka started, sounding worried and much less formal. "If he knows about the Kyuubi now, I don't know what he'll think of me. I'm not sure if I can talk to him about it if he asks. And according to your law, now that he knows the truth he can tell anybody he pleases." To his surprise, the Sandaime chuckled and was just smiling at him, shaking his head._

"_Iruka, I'm glad you're finding out what it is to be a parent." The chuunin blinked before flushing slightly. "The boy will have tough choices ahead, and now that he does know the truth things will only get harder for him. It's too late to wonder if the law of secrecy I imposed did more harm than good, but as his guardian you must decide what to do from here on out. As a humble suggestion from an old man," he continued with a twinkle in his eyes, "Just spend as much time with him as you can, while you can."_

_Iruka thought over the Hokage's words on the way back to the hospital, and nearly every day afterwards. The time was quickly approaching when Naruto would become a genin, and then he and his friends would be off performing missions for the village with a new teacher. This final year would be the last Iruka had, and he intended to take the Sandaime's advice._

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Sasuke sat alone on a bench in the afternoon sunlight, looking down at his repaired hand. It had been almost a year since Mizuki had damaged it, and although it had healed completely long ago it served as a permanent reminder to him. _I'm weak._ The thought caused his scowl to deepen and he clenched his fist. _I'm weak. I'll never kill Itachi like this. _His brother had been a genius, of course, but it made no difference to him. No matter how hard he trained, no matter the effort he put into it the fact remained: he needed to get stronger.

Naruto had insisted years before that he would kill Itachi eventually, the 'right way', but that way wasn't fast enough. Every day his rage inside seemed to grow, festering and spreading like a blight. The only way to ignore it was to exert himself to exhaustion, but it only served as a distraction. _I need more power, something . . . Like what Naruto has. Why does he have it? Where did it come from, and why is it a secret?_ Sasuke had thought about such things before, and it only brought about increased frustration. It had also caused him to grow spiteful towards his friend.

"Yo, Sasuke!" The familiar voice hailed from Naruto, walking towards him with Hinata at his side, as usual. "Something wrong?" They stopped a few meters away, the blond's hands moving to cup the back of his head like they often did when he was curious or embarrassed.

"Nothing really," Sasuke replied, sounding a little annoyed even to himself. "Just wondering if you want to tell us about your weird secret power yet." At the sight of Naruto's grimace, he adopted a lighter tone. "Look I know you don't want to talk about it. But if you can teach us how to-"

"I can't," Naruto responded flatly, looking off to the side uncomfortably. "It's not something . . . I was just born with it alright? I didn't ask for it." Sasuke could tell that he was trying not to get upset, but pushing the issue would eventually make his friend snap. _Well, that answers that I guess. Still . . ._

"Alright, whatever; sorry." Sasuke's apology came off a touch insincere, though only Hinata seemed to notice. She wouldn't say anything, however. "I just . . . I need to get stronger or I'll never defeat Itachi. That's all." It was one of the rare times that the boy opened up to his friends, and they were not about to miss the opportunity.

"Sasuke, you're better than either of us when it comes to offensive ninjutsu, your taijutsu is great, and none of us can compete when it comes to handling ranged weapons." Naruto's encouraging response was instant, bouncing back from the gloomy topic like nothing had happened. Everything he said was true as well, a notion echoed by Hinata.

"Ano . . . Iruka-sensei said that you're better than most chuunin with your shuriken control, Sasuke-san. And besides us nobody in the class can beat you in sparring. We're not even genin yet . . ." Unfortunately it was only her last words that Sasuke seemed to latch on to.

"It doesn't matter what rank we are," the Uchiha nearly growled, trying not to glare at the girl. "And being the top of the class, better than chuunin? None of that matters. Itachi was an ANBU captain by the time he was thirteen. I'm . . . I'm nothing compared to him." If Naruto didn't know better he could have sworn that he had seen tears in Sasuke's eyes.

"Sasuke we-"

"Nevermind. I have some things to take care of today so I can't train. I'll see you tomorrow." Without waiting for a response he stood and leapt away, escaping over the treetops while his friends stood in silence, watching.

"I'm worried about him, Naruto-kun," Hinata said quietly, fidgeting with the hem of her coat. She jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up to find Naruto smiling in the way he always did to try to cheer her up. The same grin also managed to summon a blush every time.

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan. You know how Sasuke can be. Besides," he continued, voice taking on a more serious tone, "I understand where he's coming from, just like you do. We just need to help him as best we can, and everything will work out, right?" While his proximity made her a tad lightheaded, and his words were comforting in a way, she was doubtful.

"But . . . What if we don't get put on the same team? O-or what if I hold us back or-" Hinata stopped mid-sentence, looking affronted and steadily turning a darker shade of pink. Naruto was _laughing_, and what's worse he was laughing at her. Tears started to well up before he waved both hands in front of him, breathing deeply and apologizing.

"Sorry, sorry!" He brought both hands together in front of him as if begging her forgiveness. "I didn't mean to laugh, Hinata-chan, but I just think it's funny that you think _you'd_ hold us back." Her distress slowly turned into confusion. What was he talking about? "Sasuke and I would be a mess without you here to help us with our chakra control, and without you to help us work on our speed we'd be years behind in taijutsu training. We've been friends for five years, so you'd better take my word for it when I say you're the best!" Naruto's broad grin faded when he saw that Hinata was _very_ red in the face, much more so than he ever remembered. "Hey are you feeling okay?" he asked worriedly, hand rising to touch her forehead to check for a fever. Hinata nearly fainted.

"I-I'm f-fine!" she stammered, shuffling back a few steps. Her heel caught on a loose stone and she stumbled backwards with a squeak, her arms flailing for balance. Naruto stepped forward quickly, catching her hand with an embarrassed look on his face.

"Sorry," he said sincerely, a tint of red rising to his cheeks as he helped his friend regain her balance. "C'mon, let's head to Ichiraku's before training. Half priced ramen today!" Before she could object – not that she wanted to – Naruto was dashing towards his favorite restaurant with Hinata in tow, her hand still grasped firmly in his own. Her face was on fire the whole way, and Ayame's incessant teasing did little to help the poor girl after they had arrived.

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"The teams have already been decided?" Kiba asked incredulously, Akamaru echoing his master's concern with a few barks. "We're still months away from graduation!"

It was the middle of February, and Iruka had just made the announcement that teams were already mostly formed. There were still thirty students in the class, but half of them had been replaced over the course of the nearly six years of study. Only those truly fit to become ninja could graduate, and according to their teacher the process was sort of a formality anyway. Those that still remained had what it took.

"That's correct. Assuming we have no dropouts and nobody fails the graduation exam, we will have ten 3-man teams. You will be separated into groups that compliment your skills in some cases, and in others you will be placed in a team where you will be filling a specific role. Before any of that, however, the potential for teamwork is first and foremost. As genin you will begin taking on D-rank missions that carry little to no risk. However, eventually you will go on C-rank – and on rare occasions B-rank – missions. On these you will often find yourselves in situations where you must trust your team implicitly, and teamwork will be of the utmost importance. A lack of trust and teamwork will kill you and your allies." Iruka allowed his statement to sink in for a moment before continuing. His students had spent the last five years training and maturing; it was time to become adults.

"Sensei, when do we find out which team we're on?" The question came from Sakura, who seemed to be eyeing Sasuke worriedly. Ino rolled her eyes at the pink-haired girl.

"Right after you graduate. We will have one final day of class wherein you all will be assigned your teams and new instructors. And before you ask," he smirked, giving Sakura and Ino a wry look, "You may not request to be on anybody else's team, nor are you allowed to change teams once you're on one. I expect you all to work hard with you assigned teams, understood?" A chorus of 'Yes, sensei' brought a nod from Iruka, who then led them to the yard for weapons training.

"One day I'll be able to manage a fuma shuriken like you, Sasuke," Naruto sighed as his friend's weapon sliced through the centers of three targets in an arch, looping around to embed itself into another only an arm's length from Sasuke. It seemed the Uchiha had a natural talent not only for fire techniques, but for controlling unconventional ninja tools as well.

"Just takes practice," he grunted, not feeling the modesty that he communicated. He had long since graduated the conventional kunai and shuriken that the rest of the class seemed stuck with; at least a handful – including his friends – had managed to become halfway proficient with a wider variety of weaponry. "Anyway, you guys think we'll be on a team together?" He yanked the blade from its lodging point, flicking his wrist to fold it back before handing it to Naruto.

"You bet!" Naruto responded confidently, taking aim and flipping the weapon open again. His throwing technique was good, but his aim was off. The first target was hit cleanly, but the second only lost an arm, and the third was missed entirely. He cursed and leapt to recover the shuriken in mid-air so that it wouldn't pass right over their heads. He caught it deftly in the center circle, muttering to himself as he dug it into the ground to stop the spinning. "Maybe I'll get better at this before then."

"I think it's . . . Likely," Hinata offered, her nervous habit already showing itself. "Iruka-sensei said we would be placed together based on teamwork, so I think . . . Probably . . ." She trailed off, the lack of confidence in her own statement causing her words to fail. Sasuke just shrugged. Naruto, however, continued his show of confidence.

"C'mon, who here has worked together as long as we have?"

"Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji have been together longer," Sasuke pointed out, "I think their parents are all friends or something. Kiba and Shino seem to get along . . . I think, and Sakura hangs around them sometimes."

"Well, I bet they'll be on teams together like we'll be," Naruto continued, unconcerned. He tried his hand at another throw with similar results. He scowled. "I mean, even if we're on different teams it'll be okay, right? Whenever we're in town we'll still meet up and train together and stuff. Plus that'll be three pretty strong teams, huh?" His friends could tell that he was pushing the limits of his own optimism, but they didn't interrupt. It was hard to deflate Naruto's enthusiasm, even if it was forced.

* * *

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* * *

"I have requested you be placed on a team with the Uchiha and the Aburame. Their skills will supplement yours best." Hiashi's icy gaze met the impassive features of his eldest daughter. She had learned well over the years to keep emotion from her face. He waited for her acknowledgement, but it didn't come. "Our family has great influence over the village, including the academy." Still nothing. "You should be grateful for my benevolence on your behalf." Hinata had begun quivering very slightly.

"I-I want to stay with my friends . . ." she whispered, so meekly that Hiashi thought he must have imagined it. He must have; Hinata would never dare question him.

"What did you say?" he asked in a falsely calm tone. His rising fury betrayed the façade.

"I said I want to stay with my friends, father." Her voice was more solid now, confident. "Both of them." Despite the iron will she had forced upon herself she dared not mention Naruto by name. Her father was no fool, however.

It was not often her father displayed any emotion, even if he did seem to come across as perpetually harsh. But his daughter, the heiress to the Hyuga clan, had just openly denied him. The only time she had felt killing intent stronger had been in the woods with Naruto.

"Hyuga Hinata," he stated slowly as he stood, stepping purposefully towards his kneeling daughter. "For years I have invested in your training." Another step seemed to shake the floor. "For years I have tried to rid you of your pathetic weaknesses." The entire room felt heavy now, and Hinata's breathing quickened. "For years I have held out for the day you would be worthy of your birthright. And for what?" In a single motion she was against the wall, pinned by a hand gripped about her throat. She gasped and grabbed at his hand, feet desperately kicking against the wall, trying to find a foothold. "You refuse my kindness. You rebuke my advice. You allow your younger sister to surpass you. You are worthless." As if those words were the last he intended to speak to her, Hiashi tossed his coughing daughter to the ground, disgusted. "Get out."

"Naruto," she choked, struggling to her feet. Her father turned back to her, eyes widening in wonder. Not only had she defied him, but she sought to speak out of her place also. _What a waste of blood._

"What about the demon child?" he spat, eyes burning.

"H-he's not . . . Like you said, father." Hinata cursed herself for not being stronger. She wished she could defend her friend, the one person that gave her courage, that made her feel even the slightest bit comfortable being herself. But she could barely string a sentence together in the presence of the clan leader. Even if she was a failure, even if she didn't deserve to be Naruto's friend, she wouldn't allow him to be looked down on like that. Hiashi merely stood, stiff, staring down at _his_ daughter.

"I see the demon has gotten to you too, daughter," he said coldly, sneering. "That child should have been killed twelve years ago when . . ." Hiashi ground his teeth, growling at nothing before sweeping out of the audience chamber, but not before one last contemptuous note. "Until you prove yourself worthy of the Hyuga name, do not return to this compound. Trash does not belong in my family."

Hinata sat very still, unblinking, staring at the wall with tears flowing freely down her face. She felt . . . Empty, like all of her being had just been taken from her. Every dream and aspiration lay shattered on the floor in front of her. Her father had finally disowned her completely. Long ago Hanabi had been named the new successor as a result of Hinata's failures, but never had she imagined Hiashi would cast her out.

Her mind was blank even as she wandered from the Hyuga estate, a chilled wind biting at her pale face. It was a bitter, cold night. Hinata wandered the streets aimlessly, as if searching for herself until dawn's first light crested the walls of the Konoha. Only then did reality set in; only then did she realize how alone she was. Then the tears came, in a back alley near the center of village. It felt like they might never stop.

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"Hinata-chan . . ." Naruto hesitated, glancing at Sasuke before looking back at her. Her clothes were rumpled and dirty, and although neither of them would say it, she smelled like it had been days since her last proper bath. Three days earlier she had come to class looking exhausted, her eyes red with dark circles underneath. She had not said a word the entire day. Since then it had been difficult to get even a nod out of the girl. "I know I ask a lot, but are you okay?" As usual, no response. She just stared blankly at the desk in front of her.

"Naruto, Sasuke," Iruka said sharply from below. The two in question blinked and looked down at their instructor. The class was empty; they had been dismissed for the day. "Please head home." They both glanced down at Hinata, but after a hard look from Iruka they both muttered apologies and stalked off. Naruto stopped at the doorway, biting his lip and looking from Iruka to Hinata twice before exiting quickly.

Iruka sighed, walking slowly to the desk one step down from theirs. He sat slowly, scratching the back of his head. "Hinata," he started gently, not sure how to delicately navigate the topic. "Will you tell me what's going on, please?" She remained silent, showing no sign that Iruka had even been heard. "Hinata," he said again clearly, a little louder. Finally, he reached up prodded her right in the center of her forehead, enunciating each part of her name separately. "Hi-na-ta."

"Y-yes?" Finally. The girl looked confused, as if she had no idea how she had gotten there.

"Will you tell me what's going on, please?"

"N-nothing, sensei." Hinata blinked several times blearily, looking even more tired now that she had been brought to.

"Hinata, your friends may not ask you because they don't know how, but don't try to lie to your teacher. I've been getting to know you for nearly six years, too, and I can tell when one of my students hasn't slept for days and looks like she's been living on the streets." She quavered visibly, biting her lip. "Now, I'll only ask you one more time. What's going on?" For a long moment she stared at him, tears brimming, and for a time he thought she might not answer. Then, all at once, she burst into tears and began stammering, unable to form coherent sentences through it all.

Iruka awkwardly patted her shoulder, trying to calm her down. Whatever he had expected from the normally reserved girl, it had not been this. He waited to see if the flow would stop on its own before speaking gently. "Hey now, calm down. I'm not mad at you. Just take it slow, and explain from the beginning, alright?" As Hinata gradually calmed enough to begin her story, Iruka moved to sit next to her in Naruto's usual seat.

The chuunin had thought, at one time, that he could not have held greater distaste for Hyuga Hiashi. He was sorely mistaken. As Hinata stuttered through her heartbreaking tale, Iruka had to squeeze his hands together to prevent them from shaking. He was ready to spit fire before she even filled him in on the last three days.

"You've been . . . Living on the streets for three nights?" he asked slowly, carefully; if he spoke to fast he was afraid that he might explode. Her miserable nod confirmed this had been the case. "Hinata why didn't you tell anybody?" She didn't respond, and only seemed to shrink into her chair like she had some fear of being reprimanded. Iruka shook his head; this wasn't the way to help. "Come on," he sighed, clicking his tongue and standing up. Hinata didn't move. She just sat there, looking up at him blankly. "You're coming home with me; I won't have my student staying out on the streets. You're going to stay with me until I can find you a place on your own." Despite her weak protests, he managed to get her out of the classroom and following him slowly back to the apartment.

"S-sensei I c-can't," she murmured, sobs threatening to take her again. "I'll j-just be an i-inconvenience. I'll be t-trouble for you and I'm n-not worth-"

"You can, because I said so. You're not trouble, or an inconvenience, and you're worth more than what your damn father thinks that's for sure." The words had left his mouth before he could think about them, accompanied by an angry curse shortly thereafter. Hinata's eyes went wide, causing a few tears to streak down her dirtied cheeks. "Sorry, Hinata," he said softly, trying to smile. "I promise, it's alright. Just do it as a favor to me, okay?" Her eyes returned to the ground, and a full minute must have passed before she nodded. As they walked in silence, Iruka seriously considered an attempt on Hiashi's life like he had years before.

As the door clicked closed behind them, Naruto came trotting around the corner. When he spotted Hinata his eyes went wide, the broadest grin appearing on his face. As his mouth opened to say something, however, Iruka held up his hand and shook his head. The boy blinked, glancing from the obviously downtrodden girl back to his teacher. He nodded slowly, backing up to let them pass.

In short order Iruka had drawn a hot bath and handed Hinata a towel and the smallest change of clothes he could find, likely some of Naruto's old garments. She merely nodded the whole time, staring at the floor. For a while after her teacher left she stood by the closed door, mind working slowly through what he had said. But she was too tired to work through it; her body ached, her eyes hurt, and everything felt fuzzy. Worst of all, she still felt empty.

Nearly an hour later she emerged from the bathroom, cleansed of all but the worst of her grime. But such mire took more than a bath to purify. Some time later Iruka found her standing there, not sure where to go or what to do. He gently coaxed her to a simple, clean bedroom and said something she couldn't understand. Something about sleeping, maybe, and Naruto had been mentioned somewhere. All her mind registered was the bed, onto which she crawled as soon as the door was closed.

After three days of no sleep; three days of emotional strain and pain; three days of waking nightmares; three days of repeating her father's words over and over in her head; three days of crying for hours on end; three days of contemplating things no person should ever have to consider; after three long days, Hinata slept.

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* * *

Everything felt oddly warm and soft, and for a long time Hinata stayed very still, not wanting to open her eyes and bring the respite to an end. It took quite a while for her to realize she was neither at the Hyuga estate, nor somewhere outside. The realization caused her eyes to snap open with a soft gasp. A rush of muddled memories flooded in, and she sat up with a start, eyes looking wildly around the room. Where . . .?

It was still dark outside, the light from a crescent moon trickling into the small bedroom through a window across the room. Hinata bit her lip, remembering vaguely that Iruka had brought her back to his home and had her clean up before giving her the bedroom. _I can't believe I let myself be such an inconvenience . . ._ she thought miserably, burying her face in her knees and trying not to cry again. _All I do is cry and get in the way. I should leave before . . ._ She blinked, realizing the clothes she had on were not her own, but they seemed strangely familiar. _Naruto-kun's . . . ?_ Her feeling of shame quickly turned into embarrassment, cheeks flushing at the realization that she now wore a pair of baggie tan cargo shorts and a loose grey t-shirt, the same clothes Naruto had worn up until the year before.

Hinata gathered herself mentally, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly. _I'll just leave a note and some money for Iruka-sensei for taking care of me. I can't stay here._ With that thought placed firmly in her mind, she swept her feet off the side of the bed, prepared to stand. She blinked, eyes drawn to the bedside table. A plate of onigiri sat next to the reading light, with a note leaned against it containing Iruka's handwriting.

"_Naruto thought you might be hungry when you woke up, so we made these for you. Itadakimasu!"_

She couldn't hold back the tears anymore. A fresh wave hit her hard and she curled back up on the bed, not knowing what to do with herself. But these tears felt . . . Different. For some reason she didn't feel sad or hurt, but strangely . . . Warm? It was a difficult sensation to grapple with. Crying was an action she was used to, but this felt different for some reason, almost like it was good.

After a few minutes of getting ahold of herself again, Hinata sat back up, wiping tears from her face. Her stomach grumbled and she looked at the plate again, feeling guilty. But Iruka had made it for her, and she might feel worse for not eating it. Another grumble convinced her.

The door opened quietly, for which Hinata was grateful. She glanced worriedly both ways down the hall, biting her lip again before stepping out silently. The apartment was small but clean, and very neat. It took only a few seconds to find the front door; from there all she needed was a pencil and paper. As she passed by the living room, however, she froze, eyes going wide as she realized the one thing she had neglected to consider. She had even seen his name right in front of her and not registered it. Naruto lived with Iruka.

Naruto's back was to her as he continued his very early morning exercises, doing pull-ups on a bar hanging from the ceiling. He must have been distracted by something, or just very into his workout, because it took him a while to notice Hinata's presence. Her face was a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and fear, and it was already several shades of red into its coloring. It was bad enough that she was _in Naruto's living room_, but she was now watching him exercise like some stalker. The fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt didn't help much, either.

When he did finally realize she was there, he blinked, letting himself drop to the ground. As he turned the first thing she noticed was his broad smile, as welcoming and friendly as it always was.

"Morning, Hinata-chan," he whispered loudly, picking up a towel to wipe away the accumulated sweat. He had apparently been at it for a while. "I hope you slept okay; my bed can be kinda uncomfortable." Naruto grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck with one hand. It was then that Hinata noticed the makeshift bedding that had been set up on the couch, along with a pile of clothes that could only belong to Naruto sitting nearby.

"A-ano," she stammered, fingers already pressing together, "Y-your bed, Naruto-kun?" He shrugged and sat down on the couch, pulling a shirt over his head before responding.

"Iruka-sensei said you needed to rest 'cause you were really tired, so I moved my stuff out of my room so you could sleep better." He blinked as Hinata looked like she was about to cry, a few sniffs coming about before Naruto jumped up and waved his hands in front of him. "No no, it's really okay. Iruka-sensei's couch is really comfortable, and I always exercise here in the morning anyway, and-" He was cut off as Hinata collided with him, knocking him back onto the couch with a soft grunt.

For a very long moment Naruto sat very still, both incredibly confused and unbelievably awkward. Hinata's face was buried in his chest, her fingers clutching at the fabric of his shirt. She was shuddering and, thinking his friend was cold, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders; he had seen somebody do that once. A very warm feeling sprung up in his chest, and his face felt a little hot. "Er, Hinata-chan-" She shook her head against his chest, and he stopped. What was he supposed to do? Iruka hadn't said anything about this when he explained things about girls. Finally, to his great relief, Hinata spoke, though it was so quiet he had to lean down a little to hear.

"I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun," she sniffed, her voice muffled by his shirt. Despite the burning shame and terrible feeling of inadequacy she felt, it felt nice to just be there. She wanted to talk about how she was feeling, and why she was crying, and many things, but the words wouldn't come. Part of it had to do with her own confusion; so much had happened in such a short time, and Iruka and Naruto were being so kind to her. It was too much to process.

"You don't have to be sorry, Hinata-chan," Naruto said quietly, sounding strangely somber rather than his usual elated self. He didn't even seem uncomfortable or awkward. Hinata wanted to raise her head, but she didn't think herself capable of meeting his gaze. "Iruka-sensei wouldn't tell me what happened, but I knew something was wrong for a few days. You don't have to tell me," he continued quickly, as if worried he might have offended her. "But you can stay here as long as you want to; Iruka-sensei said it was okay. I really don't mind sleeping on the couch. I promise!"

"I'll just be a burden . . ." she mumbled, fingers tightening on his shirt.

"No you won't." Naruto said with such confidence that it caused her to finally raise her head, red-rimmed eyes examining his bright blues. He wasn't lying. Something her father had drilled in his children over the years was the ability to read people, and although Naruto rarely deceived anybody, she had trouble accepting his straight honesty. Her confused expression drew a smirk from the boy. "Why would you think that? Iruka-sensei invited you here and said you can stay, which means you're welcome here, and he must want you here right? And I want you here too, Hinata-chan." He was just telling the truth, but for some reason it made him feel squirmy inside his stomach.

Hinata blinked several times, processing what Naruto had just told her in what felt like slow motion. _Welcome here._ The notion was alien to her. _Wanted here. Naruto-kun wants me here._ The color slowly began to creep into her cheeks. It felt wrong. The last time she had felt welcome or wanted anywhere was with her mother, who had long since passed away. Since then only self-doubt and failure had been her company. But now . . . She didn't dare allow herself to step fully through the door of hope. But maybe just taking a look through wouldn't be too bad.

She lowered her head back to his chest before he could ask if she was feeling okay again. A slow, silent nod indicated that she understood. And then came the awkward silence. A few minutes eventually turned into half an hour of quiet, and while Naruto gradually got more comfortable with the situation, reality sank in for Hinata over time. If Iruka had not walked in to the living room when he did, she was fairly positive that she would have exploded.

"Good morning you two," he yawned. The smallest mischievous smirk twitched his lips as Hinata sprang away from her friend, ending up next to him staring at the floor. Her face was so completely red that Iruka couldn't even bring himself to tease them. "Naruto can you come help me make breakfast? We're going to have omelets with rice and salmon today," he remarked cheerily. He turned to leave towards the kitchen, but as he reached the threshold Hinata's voice stopped him.

"A-ano," she started, on her feet as Iruka turned back. Hinata placed her arms at her sides and bowed, eyes squeezed closed and trying to get rid of the terrible flush. "Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Iruka-sensei," she said with surprising clarity. Formalities were deeply ingrained in her from youth, largely thanks to her status. "I will work hard to earn my keep and find a place to stay as soon as I can. Thank you," she repeated before straightening, looking awkward and out of place.

"Ah," Iruka began, slightly taken aback. He wasn't used to such formalities or what he considered to be flattering. "No need to thank me, Hinata. You can stay here as long as you need to, so don't worry about it." She blinked at him but nodded, looking back at the floor and clutching the fringe of her shirt, which reminded him . . . "Oh, and your clothes are clean and folded in the linen closet in the hall. We'll get you some more this weekend." With that he left the living room, whistling to himself as he began preparations for breakfast.

Naruto stood and started to follow, stopping next to Hinata and nudging her with his elbow, making her jump a little. He grinned and put his hands behind his head. "You can come help with breakfast after you change, if you want. Iruka-sensei said I have to learn how to cook, but I'm not very good at it." He made a face before trotting after their teacher, leaving Hinata to stare after them. More of those strange 'good tears' welled up, but she pushed them down, determined to make herself useful rather than feel sorry for herself.

Hinata quickly located and changed into her normal clothes, chastising herself for making Iruka go out of his way to wash them for her. Despite her will to help, however, as she approached the kitchen she slowed, plagued with self-doubt. _I shouldn't get in their way. I'll just . . ._

"Can you help me with cooking the salmon and setting the table, Hinata?" Iruka asked kindly, giving her an encouraging smile, looking for all the world like a bigger version of Naruto. It made her wonder if her friend had inherited that smile. She nodded quickly, hurrying to help as her teacher had requested. He and Naruto bantered nearly the entire time, their antics making even Hinata smile a little; she surprised herself by giggling once when Naruto did a particularly 'interesting' imitation of the Hokage.

Naruto shot Iruka a quick grin while Hinata wasn't looking. His instructor winked back. Things would turn out okay, eventually.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"Ready for the exam?" Iruka asked as they walked towards the academy. It had been three months since Hinata had moved in, and although she was still quiet as ever, the girl seemed much less anxious these days. She walked a little straighter, made eye contact with her peers more often, and even spoke with less of a stutter. Iruka wasn't willing to take much credit for any of it, though; as far as he was concerned, just getting away from the Hyuga estate had helped Hinata more than anything he could have done.

"Yes, sensei," they both chimed, glancing at one another immediately after. Naruto grinned, and Hinata smiled demurely. Iruka raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment further. Those two had also grown closer in their friendship after living in close proximity for so long. Naruto still seemed a bit clueless about Hinata's feelings for him, but that was alright. He might realize it eventually. Or possibly not.

It was the day of their final test, and although this would be the deciding moment for all of them nobody seemed nervous. According to Iruka, though, those that remained were pretty much guaranteed to pass, and every one of them had mastered the three required jutsu. All of them had proven to be proficient with a variety of ninja tools. In their final year they had studied genjutsu and how to recognize it, though no practical test would be administered. In the end, the students weren't nervous because they had passed the most difficult part of the exam: surviving for six years at the academy.

One by one they were called into a small side room that held Iruka, another proctor, and a table on top of which thirty forehead protectors – hitai-ate – sat. Each had a metal guard engraved with the symbol of a Konoha shinobi and were to be presented to a student when they passed the test.

Of the three friends, Sasuke was called in first. Looking as unconcerned as always, he more or less ignored Naruto's cheer for him to 'kick some ass' and Hinata's small smile. He knew he would pass, as did the rest of the class. And, as expected, he returned minutes later wearing his new headband.

"What a joke," he muttered as he sat back down, leaning on the desk and staring out the window. Hinata glanced at Naruto, looking a bit worried, though more for their friend's state of mind than the upcoming test.

"Hyuga Hinata," the proctor called, making her jump and swallow. When she looked back to Naruto, he gave her a big smile and placed a hand on her arm. Hinata was fairly sure that he could do that a dozen times a day and she would still flush every time. She nodded and smiled back before standing and making her way to the testing room. Although she became fairly nervous standing in front of the instructors, Iruka's confident nod eased the tension somewhat.

A short time later, Hinata emerged from the room as well, her hitai-ate tied around her neck. She tried not to appear overtly pleased or accomplished; Sasuke had been right, in a way. They had learned the jutsus years before, after all. Naruto, though, was ecstatic enough for both of them, giving a rousing cheer and a thumbs-up as soon as she came through the door. Hinata rushed back to her seat so that the rest of the class couldn't get an eyeful of her reddened features.

"Uzumaki Naruto." The boy nearly jumped out of his seat in excitement. This was it: his first step to becoming Hokage. It may not mean much to the rest of his classmates, but he had worked hard over the last six years to accomplish his first 'smaller goal' on the road to Hokage. He bounded down the stairs, turning just before exiting the room to give Hinata and Sasuke another thumbs-up. She did her best to give an encouraging smile and nod, while the Uchiha merely glared at nothing outside.

"Alright, Naruto, this should be quick. Please perform a Henge no Jutsu; you can transform into anything you'd like." Iruka nodded at his fellow chuunin's words, waiting for his student.

"Yes, sensei. Henge no Jutsu," he said clearly. A puff of smoke enveloped him for a moment before revealing a perfect copy of Iruka standing in front of them, holding up two fingers and grinning broadly.

"Very good. Next, Kawarimi no Jutsu please." Naruto nodded again, disappearing in a puff of smoke, a section of a log falling to the ground with a dull thud where he had just been standing. Iruka and the proctor glanced around before noticing the blond standing behind them. "Very good. Lastly, perform the Bunshin no Jutsu, please."

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto murmured, making sure to focus only enough chakra to form one clone. The copy appeared next to him, scratching the back of his head and looking a little bored. The proctor seemed impressed, but not quite enthusiastic.

"I don't mean to split hairs here, but as impressive as a Kage Bunshin is at your age, the test requires you perform the Bunshin no Jutsu to pass," the stranger began, though Iruka cut in before he could continue the objection.

"Actually, the rules of the exam state that _a_ bunshin must be procured. A Kage Bunshin falls into that category. Not to mention the latter jutsu is much more useful than a simple bunshin." Iruka smiled sweetly at the other proctor, who grunted and tried not to openly show contempt for Naruto.

"Alright, good enough. You pass; get a forehead protector and go back to your seat." He marked something on his clipboard as Naruto approached the table, muttering something under his breath about cheating.

"Congratulations, Naruto," Iruka smiled, holding the hitai-ite towards his student with no small amount of pride showing. "You've earned it." If Naruto's grin was any bigger his cheeks might have torn. He took the headband reverently, looking at it for a moment before lifting it to his forehead, tying it over the ever-present indigo wrap.

This was it; he was finally a genin. Despite what everybody else had said, he had done it. He tried to control his gait as he left the testing chamber, but was running by the time he made it to the classroom door. He burst in just as Sakura was making her way down the stairs to take her exam; the glare she afforded him could not put a damper on his mood in the least.

"Yeah!" he cheered, making half the class jump before glowering at the noise that Naruto was making. He didn't care, though. In one leap he made it to the top row, lifting Hinata from her chair and into a tight hug despite her alarmed sounds of protest. He put her down quickly, still smiling, but a bit more subdued now that he had gotten it out of his system. He turned to Sasuke and extended his fist, hoping for a returned gesture. The dark-haired boy eyed the hand dubiously before sighing, lifting his fist to bump his knuckles with Naruto unenthusiastically. That seemed to be enough for Naruto, however, as he sat back down afterwards and seemed to be radiating joy.

After the last student returned from their test, the room went silent as Iruka entered with a stack of papers. "Alright everyone. Congratulations on passing your exams, but as I've said before things will only get harder from here. You are all still new genin, and have much to learn. I have compiled the team lists and will now reveal the team assignments." Every student in the room had their eyes trained on their instructor, knowing that his decisions would shape their futures. Iruka paused for dramatic effect, smirking only slightly as he watched a few lean in. Ino and Sakura looked to be on the edge of their seats. For once Naruto seemed almost as nonchalant as Sasuke, though Hinata's index fingers were now pressed together, indicating her worry.

The first six teams were assigned in short order; nobody seemed too surprised or unhappy with the results. As Iruka had said months before, there were many factors behind putting a team together, and even if his decisions were unexpected they would be respected nonetheless. Finally, he started on the seventh team.

"Next, the seventh group." Most of the remaining students – with the exception of the aforementioned two girls – seemed either uninterested or unworried, so his delays meant little now. "Uzumaki Naruto," he started, remaining perfectly casual as the blond boy perked up. "Uchiha Sasuke." As his name was called Sasuke barely moved, fingers folded in front of him as he stared at Iruka. It was obvious to the entire class who the third member of their team would be, but Naruto still sat on the edge of his seat, and Hinata closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer. "Hyuga Hinata." She breathed a sigh of relief, and Naruto jumped up to celebrate again.

Kiba, Shino, and Sakura were placed on a team together, as were Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji as teams eight and ten respectively. Ino and Sakura immediately lamented not being placed with their 'beloved Sasuke-kun', while the rest seemed comfortable enough with the choices. After letting them converse for a moment, Iruka drew their attention back to him.

"Your new jonin instructors will be here at noon, and from then on you will be under their tutelage. I expect you to give them the same respect you have afforded me these past years. Best of luck, genin. Class dismissed!" Iruka smiled as his students dispersed, most moving to their new groups to get acquainted – if they were not already – over lunch. He watched them go silently, giving Naruto and his friends a small wave as they exited, which two of them returned.

_You're all adults now. Best of luck Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke._

* * *

/*\

* * *

"I wonder if the rest of the instructors are late, too," Naruto pondered, leaning back in his seat between Hinata and Sasuke. They had been waiting since before noon, and it had been nearly a half an hour since then already. He hoped that their teacher wouldn't be lazy.

"Sorry I'm late," a familiar voice droned. All three looked around, blinking, before noticing the man sitting in the desk just behind them. He was tall, with his forehead protector lowered over one eye, and he wore a dark blue mask that covered everything below the bridge of his nose. His silver hair was spiked up and to the side, and despite its ostentatious appearance one might correctly assume that it actually grew that way. His overall attitude seemed bored, or at the very least overly relaxed.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto gasped. He had promised himself – and Iruka – that he would be respectful, but seeing the man that had taught him his favorite jutsu had caught him off guard. Not to mention, without him Naruto would never have been able to pass the genin exam.

"Hm, you look kind of familiar. Where've I seen you before . . .?" It was unclear if the man was being difficult or if he actually had forgotten the boy. Seeing as Naruto was a bit too infamous to forget, they bet on the prior. After feigning a struggle to recall, Kakashi shrugged. "Oh well. Let's head outside to make our introductions."

After settling on a terraced balcony, Kakashi leaning against the railing while his new students sat on the steps, he addressed them a little more formally. "My name is Hatake Kakashi. I understand that you three go pretty far back, so we can skip part of the introduction. But just for my benefit, I'd like your names, hobbies, and your highest aspiration. If you'd like to start, Mr. Spiky-blond." Naruto made a face, but obliged with a smirk.

"Uzumaki Naruto. My hobbies are training and trying different kinds of ramen at Ichiraku's. My dream is to be Hokage one day; I'll be the best there ever was!" Kakashi quirked an eyebrow. _Well, that's one you don't hear often. Understandable for a kid in his situation, though._

"Hyuga Hinata." At their teacher's nod she had continued the introductions, fighting not to let her self-consciousness get the better of her. "Ano, I enjoy pressing flowers and training to get stronger. My dream is . . ." She stopped there, blinking at Kakashi. What was her dream? "I-I'm not sure, Kakashi-sensei." Hinata bowed her head, embarrassed, staring at the ground. Again Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose your dream can be to find a dream to work towards," he commented wryly before turning to the last member. Uchiha Sasuke. He was the reason that Kakashi had been assigned to the team. "Last one."

"Uchiha Sasuke. Outside of training my hobbies aren't of much interest. My ambition is to kill a certain someone." His tone was flat, eyes hard. There was no doubt who he was referring to, and in that moment Kakashi had no doubt of his will to succeed in that endeavor.

"Well, it's nice to see some diversity in my team. Now, on to business." He pushed off of the railing, stretching with a sigh. "Iruka-sensei was not allowed to share this information with you, but now that you're assigned a team it's time you learned. None of you are genin yet." As usual, three pairs of eyes blinked, confused.

"What do you mean sensei? We just passed our test," Naruto started, sounding not only perplexed but a little annoyed.

"The test is only meant to find out if you're able to become genin. Each jonin has the final say as to whether or not their students actually earn the title. By the end of this week, only three teams will remain from the original ten. The students that fail their new instructor's test will return to the academy. Any questions so far?"

Naruto and Hinata sat in stunned silence, while Sasuke merely glared. None of them dared ask if he was serious; Kakashi didn't seem like the type to joke around. Finally, Naruto spoke up, though it was not what any of them expected to hear. "Only two other teams, Kakashi-sensei," he corrected, smirking confidently. "Since we're definitely going to pass." Sasuke didn't move, but after a moment Hinata nodded, trying her best to show even a semblance of the confidence that her friend held.

"Hm, we'll see about that. Meet me at the third training ground at five, tomorrow morning. Our test is going to be survival training." He waved and started to walk off, though turned just before reaching the edge of the balcony. "Oh, and don't eat any breakfast. Trust me; you won't want to." His one visible eye squinted in a way that made them think he was smiling before he was gone in a cloud of white smoke.

"Ahg!" Naruto groaned, falling onto his back. "Why'd we have to get the crazy instructor?" he sighed, scowling up at the clouds. "From the way he talks it's like he _wants_ to fail us."

"Ano . . . I think we'll do okay," Hinata offered timidly, not really feeling her own statement's attempted assurance. "We're already a good team, right?" They had begun practicing some maneuvers that year, at Iruka's suggestion. It had not been required for their grades, but he had mentioned it to the class as something to be prepared for.

"Hinata's right," Sasuke grunted, already walking off. "We've been training together for years. It won't be a problem." Just like that he was gone, apparently as unconcerned as he had been that morning about the genin exam. Naruto couldn't help but smile at his friends; Sasuke had gotten a lot more callous over the years, but he was still one of them.

"Yeah, you guys are right. C'mon Hinata; let's go try some more tree climbing. I think I've almost got the technique down! Can we try walking on the river after that? I really want to . . ." Naruto continued to chatter away as they walked together to their usual training spot. His demeanor calmed Hinata down some, like it always did, and the one-sided conversation never seemed to bother her. She suppressed a small smile; they would be fine after all.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"Sensei, you're late again," Naruto teased half-heartedly. His team had arrived on time that morning, and it seemed none of them had eaten breakfast as directed. Two hours had passed before Kakashi showed up, making a lame excuse about a cat crossing his path.

"Sorry again, you three. Now then, you all remembered to skip breakfast?" They all nodded, Naruto with a little resentment showing through. "Good. Now I can explain our exercise for the day." He pulled out an alarm clock and set it on one of three log posts in the middle of the clearing. He then pulled out two bells and held them up so that they were clearly visible.

"You have until noon to get these bells from me. Whoever fails to get a bell will not be given lunch, and will also fail my test." Naruto only glowered more, but Hinata simply blinked before offering an observation.

"Sensei, there are only two bells." Kakashi seemed to smile at the comment, which made her a bit uncomfortable.

"That is correct. Only two of you will be able to pass my test, and the third will return to the academy." He waited for Naruto to stop protesting and ignored Hinata's hurt expression. "It's also possible that none of you will pass the test, meaning all three might return to the academy. So let me be very clear," he said calmly, tone silencing their objections. "I expect you to use any means necessary to get these from me, including deadly force." Without waiting for them to interject, he hit the top of the clock, setting the alarm for noon. "Ready? Begin!"

Sasuke and Hinata all but vanished into the woods surrounding the clearing, but to their surprise – and the quirked eyebrow of Kakashi – Naruto remained standing at the center of the clearing. He was looking at their instructor dubiously, trying to work out what was going on. Something told him that this was off.

"I don't believe you," he said finally, folding his arms. Kakashi blinked his eye, head cocked slightly to the side as he decided what to make of this brash youth. "There's no way they'd let you send just one of us back to the academy. That doesn't make any sense. Iruka-sensei said that teams were always in threes with one jonin instructor."

"You're no longer at the academy, Naruto. I make the rules here, and if I tell you that you are going back to the academy, you are." Kakashi stared back at Naruto lazily, fastening the two bells loosely on his belt. The boy clenched his fists, mind working through his options, before he vanished in a blur to join his comrades.

"What do we do?" Hinata asked in a worried whisper, eyeing Kakashi through a gap in the trees. They had all suppressed their chakra so that it would be harder to sense them, something she had taught the other two how to do over the years.

"We need to focus on getting those bells, then we can figure it out," Sasuke said quietly, taking in the surroundings. Naruto nodded, but still seemed upset and distracted. "We'll just run through our formations and maneuvers like we practiced. Remember: don't hesitate to use force, like he said. If he wants us to really go for them we will, got it?" They nodded again. Hinata activated her Byakugan and took a deep breath while her teammates got into position. She would worry about consequences later.

Kakashi had drawn a small book from his belt pouch, a clearly adult-themed novel judging by the cover. Despite his relaxed appearance he was completely tuned in to his surroundings, waiting and calculating as he sensed the genin moving closer. _Hm, one behind, one above, one at a distance. At least they're working together._

"Doton: Earth Rupture!" Hinata's jutsu crushed the ground below him, catching his feet as a fist of shuriken came flying from the side. Everything worked as he had anticipated, however. The weapons struck him directly, but a moment later he appeared behind Sasuke, the impaled log replacement clattering to the ground.

"Too slow," he muttered, hand already striking at the back of the boy's head. Except . . . He wasn't too slow. Sasuke had twisted at the last second, spinning for a hard kick as if he had expected Kakashi to appear there. The jonin was forced to block, genuine surprise written on his hidden features. But he had no time for being impressed.

He shoved Sasuke away, thrusting his book back into the back pocket. "Alright, no Flirting Paradise then," he sighed, readying himself for the next attack. He had yet to see Naruto, but he could feel the boy's chakra signature . . . Everywhere. _Guess I got distracted. But this is . . . Impressive._ A horde of Narutos had surrounded the clearing, all brandishing kunai and grinning at the jonin. _Even I couldn't make this many. I guess the reports about him were true._

The clones were not incredibly coordinated, but they did show a surprising amount of sentience and awareness. As they charged they came in formations, executing maneuvers in an attempt to back Kakashi towards the nearby river. It was a simple ploy to see through, and Kakashi instead fought the clones towards the three stumps. In no time they were all but cleared, only a handful left looking more than a little frustrated.

"Come now, you're going to have to try harder than-" The jonin was cut off as a fireball blasted from above him, forcing a dodge right into the path of a fuma shuriken. Kakashi was not considered a legendary ninja for no reason, however. Rather than dodge, he caught the weapon deftly, tossing it back into the woods where he sensed Sasuke's chakra. However, a second shuriken was only a few meters from him already, having been hidden in the shadow of its predecessor. _Ah, the Shadow Shuriken technique; the Uchiha boy shows some promise._ Things did not go as expected as he reached for the next, however.

Hinata had moved so fast that even he had a hard time tracking her movement. The girl bent forward calmly, allowing the weapon to pass mere centimeters from her head and into Kakashi's outstretched hand. Her hand was already outstretched, the tips of her fingers almost closed around one of the bells. _Crap!_ He withdrew his hand at the last second and bent backwards, effectively drawing his belt out of reach and allowing the shuriken to fly over him instead. He pushed off of the ground hard, vaulting into the air and taking a moment to take in their positions. _These kids mean business; it hasn't even been an hour yet._ Then he blinked, and looked down.

Naruto was falling away from him towards the ground, grinning broadly, both bells held between his fingers. _When did he . . .?_ Kakashi realized how he had been tricked a moment later, smacking himself in the forehead as he landed. "You transformed one of your clones into the other shuriken, knowing that Hinata's attack would force me to dodge. Where did you three learn that?" Naruto looked overly pleased with himself, while Sasuke just smirked and Hinata blushed deeply.

"We thought it up," Naruto proclaimed proudly, dangling the two bells from his fingertips. "Sasuke's really good with shuriken, and he taught himself the Kage Shuriken no Jutsu. Since I can make a lot of Kage Bunshin, it's easy to transform myself into a fuma shuriken without anyone noticing. Hinata's faster than both of us, so it was only natural she be the one to engage the target directly." He said it so matter-of-factly that Kakashi couldn't help but shake his head and admit defeat.

"Well, I guess you won this round. But remember, only two of you can pass," he reminded them, and suddenly Sasuke's scowl returned, followed closely by Hinata's uncomfortable expression.

"Yeah I know," Naruto said nonchalantly, tossing a bell to each side. His friends caught them automatically and stood staring at him, Sasuke looking nonplussed and Hinata horrified. "You can pass them, and I'll go back to the academy."

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata breathed, tears already welling in her eyes. "You can't; you need-"

"Hinata's right, Naruto," Sasuke said with a shrug, tossing his bell on the ground at Kakashi's feet. "We're not going to let you go back to the academy by yourself. If you go, I'm going back too." His hands were already in his pockets, eyes on their instructor. He didn't seem the least bit concerned.

"Guys c'mon," Naruto laughed, looking from one to the other. "The final exam is easy; I can just take it again next year. No reason for you two to miss a year of experience if you don't have to." Hinata shook her head, in full agreement with Sasuke. She stepped forward, handing her bell to Kakashi with a polite bow before stepping back to her friends.

"Together, or not at all," she said quietly, fidgeting with her coat but looking determined. She rarely did anything with full confidence, but this was one time in her life she was very sure of herself. Being separated from Naruto was not an option.

During the ordeal Kakashi had watched silently, marveling at the phenomenon occurring before him. "I suppose there's a first time for everything," he sighed, scratching the back of his neck as if embarrassed. After a moment he smiled – or it looked like he was smiling, anyway. "You all pass." They blinked, as stunned as he had expected.

"Er, what, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked bluntly, unsure how they had gone from all failing to passing in an instant.

"I said that you all pass. This test was a test of your teamwork, not your combat or survival skills." They were blinking again, though it was Sasuke who questioned him this time.

"If it was a test of our teamwork, why didn't you pass us when Naruto got the bells from you?"

"Accomplishing your mission objective is important, you're right," Kakashi relented, a twinkle appearing in his visible eye. "Some might even argue that it's the most important part of being a ninja. However," he continued, leaning down so he could meet their eyes directly. "It's important to follow the rules of our village – and especially my rules if I'm your teacher. However, there's a saying that goes along with that: 'Those who break the rules are scum. But those that don't take care of their friends are even worse than scum.' While I didn't get to properly demonstrate the first part of that saying, you three have proven that you care about one another. You were all willing to return to the academy together so that you could remain a team, and for that, you passed." It took a moment for everything to register, but they got the message. Sasuke let out a haughty 'hmph' while Hinata blushed and stared at the ground, pushing her index fingers together. Naruto simply cheered, looking quite the opposite of the serious youth that had challenged Kakashi on his rule earlier.

_Hm, this will be an interesting adventure with these three._

And just like that, Team Seven was formed.

**Author's Note:**

And just like that, the longest chapter I've written yet. Whew.

Thanks again to my beta, Rhi. Pity her, for she had to read over 11k+ words and correct for grammar _and_ content. 3

As I said in my last A/N, I'm leaving tomorrow and won't be back for 6+ weeks. I'm going to have my tablet with me, and _may_ do some writing on days I'm not exhausted from biking 8-12 hours, but don't count on it! I'll pick the story back up when I return, I promise.

Thank you for your reviews, PMs, favorites and follows. It's really humbling to know that people want to read my writing, for real.

See you all next month!

- Wes


	6. Demons of the Mist

**Chapter 6 – Demons of the Mist**

"Is this the third or fourth time this week?" Naruto asked rhetorically, pulling a thorn out of his coat wearily.

"Fifth," Sasuke supplied with an equal amount of enthusiasm, hoisting the small cat up to peer at it boredly. He held it by the scruff of its neck, disallowing any struggle from the annoyed creature. "First two were cats, then a dog, then a cat, now this one. Tara, the name was?"

"Sasuke, you might hurt her," came Hinata's small, fretting voice. As usual, she had spotted the runaway using her Byakugan and the other two had closed in from opposite sides. All in all the team was getting pretty good at catching stray pets, although it was beginning to wear on them. Sasuke huffed and tossed Tara to her, the cat flailing a bit but landing upright on her shoulder and hissing at the boy.

"I'm getting tired of these errands. That's what they are; not even worth being called missions." Naruto turned his head to the side at his friend's words, shrugging noncommittally but of more or less the same mind. Even Hinata's couldn't argue with him, although she was more willing than either of them to perform such mundane tasks for as long as possible. Sooner or later they would have to engage in dangerous missions where they might be hurt, or worse. Her imagination was just about to get the better of her when the telltale cloud of smoke signaled Kakashi's arrival.

"Yo," he said placidly, eye traveling between the three in a way that suggested he might have overheard their little conversation. "Well done you three. That brings our number of missions complete to twenty-six. If we hurry back, the Hokage might have another to give us; the day is yet young." Three resigned nods met him, and he frowned slightly beneath the mask.

Across town the four stood in front of a long desk, occupied by numerous tomes and scrolls, attended to by the Sandaime, Iruka, and a number of other ninja, presumably of chuunin rank. Iruka looked over Kakashi's report, nodding to himself as village leader shuffled scrolls around. As always, he consulted the D-Rank list that most Genin teams handled. He blinked, though, and looked up at a restless looking Naruto and a particularly surly Sasuke; even Hinata looked more uncomfortable than usual.

"Something wrong?" he asked calmly, although the answer to his question could be seen a mile away.

"Hokage-sama," Naruto began carefully, shifting his weight subconsciously and glancing at Iruka a bit guiltily. "D-Rank missions are important, I know, but is there something else we might be able to do?" The Sandaime looked to Kakashi for a moment, though the silver-haired man looked disinterested, and even innocent.

"No disrespect meant," Sasuke continued, though he didn't seem very reverent, "But D-Rank missions are designed to build our teamwork while getting small tasks done in the process, correct?" A small smile had appeared on the old man's lips, and he nodded. "I think Kakashi can vouch for our teamwork, and Genin are allowed to do C-Rank missions as well."

"Are you saying that you're ready for a C-Rank mission?" The question was offered mildly, but it carried with it an unspoken weight that they all understood. C-Rank missions weren't necessarily high on the threat scale, but they did carry some possibility of danger. His calm, calculating eyes fell on Kakashi, who shrugged before responding for them.

"They did pass my test with flying colors, Hokage-sama. They have also completed a remarkable number of D-Rank missions in only two weeks' time. I don't think a C-Rank assignment should be out of the question."

"I agree," came the congenial response, as if this had been planned from the beginning. "I have been looking for the right team to assign this mission anyway. It is a C-Rank escort mission; a bridge builder from the Wave Country desires protection. Here is the briefing." Kakashi stepped forward to accept the small scroll, bowing slightly as he did. Nearby Iruka tried to seem busy, but he was absolutely glowing. "You will leave in the morning for the Wave Country. Make sure you are all prepared for a long mission, and get plenty of rest."

It was difficult for Naruto to keep in his excitement as they bowed and departed, and even Sasuke's smirk seemed more pleased than usual. Hinata's brow was knitted in worry as she walked a pace behind her friends, though aside from the concern she did not appear reluctant. If anything, the girl showed some resolve.

Outside Kakashi unraveled the scroll and went over the details of the mission. All three listened intently until he was finished. "Alright you three, you heard the Hokage. Get your supplies together, everything from ninja tools to several days' rations. Meet at the front gates at 7 a.m. sharp. Understood?" They all nodded again, and he concluded the orders as they exited the building. "Good. Dismissed."

Sasuke bid his allies farewell as he moved off to his apartment to prepare, leaving Naruto and Hinata to walk down the street towards Iruka's home. They were silent for a time, the blond boy's exuberance fading slowly as he began to notice his friend's apprehension. It would be erroneous to think that he was in-tune with her enough to tell how she was feeling, but living in close quarters for a while - with some pointers from Iruka - had allowed him to catch on to hints quicker.

"What's wrong, Hinata?" he asked, keeping his voice casual and chipper. To his surprise, her cheeks didn't flush, no fidgeting occurred, and she didn't start stammering. Instead Hinata was biting lightly at her lower lip, silent as they walked towards their lengthening shadows. A sidelong glance revealed only that she was nervous, reluctant to speak, as if for fear that words might break something fragile, or open a door through which frightening prospects lay.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata began cautiously, index fingers moving to press together. "Are you . . . Are you sure about this mission?" She appeared to wince very slightly, as if it had been painful to get the words out. It was difficult enough for the girl to express herself, and more than just questioning her friends she was afraid to discourage Naruto especially.

The blond boy thought about it for a long moment. Iruka had chided him about impulsive answers for years, encouraging him to think carefully in conversation, especially when it involved those close to him. Hinata looked like she was being careful with her words, so he had to do the same. Naruto scrunched up his features slightly, an action that normally elicited a blush from Hinata – for whatever reason. He laced his fingers behind his head as they walked, considering for a full minute before offering a response.

"I don't think Kakashi-sensei would vouch for us unless he really thought we were ready. You, me, and Sasuke have been training together for years, so it makes sense I guess. The Hokage and Kakashi trust us enough to do a C-Rank mission, and I trust you and Sasuke. I'm as sure as I can be," he finished a bit lamely, casting somewhat of an apologetic grin at his friend. "What about you, Hinata-chan?" he continued, keeping in mind more of Iruka's advice about considering other people's thoughts and feelings.

"I . . ." Hinata began, still chewing absently at her lower lip. "I trust you and Sasuke too. I'm just . . ." She seemed to have trouble with the words, struggling for a moment before it all came out in a rush. "I-I'm afraid that one of you will get hurt, or of something going wrong. I'm scared that I'll hold you back or get in the way, maybe even put the team in danger or cause somebody to be harmed, or worse. You and Sasuke are always strong and confident. I d-don't want to hold anyone back, and I don't want anybody put in danger because of me . . . ." She trailed off at that, her cheeks flushed now in shame, eyes on the ground. Tears had sprung unbidden to the corners of her eyes, though they stubbornly refused to fall. Her fingers were white as they pressed together subconsciously. It was a long, painful moment before Naruto responded.

"After we became genin, Iruka-sensei told me that we'd be going on missions together," Naruto started as they rounded a corner, bringing their shared apartment into view. "He said that eventually we'd be sent on dangerous missions, and that it was . . . Possible that we could die on them." Hinata didn't look up, but seemed like she wanted to voice some kind of protest in response. He continued before she could, voice full of assurance and cheer. "I know that, but I trust you and Sasuke. I know you'll do your best to keep us safe and accomplish the mission, and we'll do the same." On impulse he reached over and caught her pinky finger with his, winking and giving it a little squeeze. "You're never going to hold us back, Hinata-chan, I promise. Have a little more faith in yourself; I know Sasuke and I have plenty of confidence in you too." He gave another of his patented smiles and lowered his hand, though it proved to still be attached to Hinata's. The girl, while as red as she possibly could be, was holding on tight.

They walked onward in silence for a moment, and Naruto felt some heat rising to his cheeks as he realized they were sort of hand-in-hand. Well, finger-in-finger, anyway. But some tension seemed to release from Hinata's shoulders as they continued, and she only had to wipe a single threatening tear away. She nodded slowly but firmly after a time, her face still approximately the same color as a ripe tomato.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," she said finally, so quiet he nearly missed it. The blond boy scratched at the back of his head awkwardly, but managed a broad grin despite himself. Before he could think of a response, however, Iruka came around the corner a few meters behind them.

"Oh hey Naruto, Hinata; I wanted to help you two pack for–" Iruka's voice broke off as he focused on them, blinking at the pair from several paces back. They both spun at the same time, hands snapping back as if shocked by a sudden surge of electricity. The slowly spreading smirk on their old teacher's face proved that they had been too slow, however. "This will be your first long mission, so I wanted to make sure you two have everything you need," he continued nonchalantly, as if he had seen nothing. Naruto's sheepish grin did little to hide the color in his features, nearly matching Hinata's brilliant hue. They both nodded vigorously and fell in next to Iruka, glancing at one another furtively as the chuunin continued on about the various tools and supplies they should consider taking.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"Ready to set out?" Kakashi addressed his team in front of Konoha's gate a few minutes after the agreed-upon time. To all three genins' surprise, their instructor had showed up early, almost the same time they had. After quickly checking their equipment and explaining the mission, they now stood waiting for their client to arrive. "Now remember, danger isn't very likely on this mission even if it is C-Rank, but it is possible. It'll take us two days to get to Wave Country at a pace Tazuna can keep, so keep alert. We'll rotate positions frequently, but for the start Hinata will take point. Naruto and Sasuke stay on either side of Tazuna, and I'll bring up the rear." Each of them nodded once in affirmation, just as an old man wearing a sandogasa approached. He also appeared to be . . . Drunk.

"Didn't I hire ninjas to escort me?" The bespectacled old man hiccoughed roughly, taking another long swig from a brown bottle that smelled strongly of alcohol. "These're a bunch o' kids." He stopped to look them over, a dubious expression plastered on his face.

"This is Team Seven, Tazuna-san. I assure you they are all qualified ninja. This is Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke. Team, this is our client, Tazuna, a bridge builder from the Wave Country." All three nodded politely, though with varied expressions. Naruto seemed annoyed; Sasuke appeared as apathetic as usual, though with a touch of disdain in his eyes; Hinata was despondent, averting her gaze and looking at the ground. Naruto nudged her lightly, flashing a brief smile that she returned feebly.

"Ah whatever. Just don't cause me any trouble, kids." Tazuna chortled to himself and took another drink, turning without further conversation to start trundling down the road out of the town. Kakashi followed immediately, cocking his head towards the man to indicate that it was time to leave. After a shared doubtful look, Team Seven assumed their positions and began their mission.

At Kakashi's request, Hinata activated her Byakugan every kilometer or so, scanning far ahead just in case. Her allies stayed alert at their stations, eyes scanning the trees on either side calmly. More than one person had already assured them that there was little chance of obstruction, let alone from anything more dangerous than a bandit. Kakashi seemed bored as always, his one visible eye half-lidded as he plodded forward behind the troupe. Scenery came and went as they passed through glades, over rivers, and intersected other roads.

Around midday, after a brief break, they had shuffled positions and Naruto now set the pace out front, keeping closer watch than he had previously. Sasuke walked on Tazuna's left, Hinata matching his steps on the opposite side. Only Kakashi glanced aside as they passed a stray puddle, his expression unchanged though causing Sasuke to take note of it as well. It seemed odd to the Uchiha that a puddle would be in the middle of the road on a sunny afternoon, especially when it hadn't rained in a while. But their instructor seemed uninterested, so he turned his attention back to the forest.

Seconds later there was a violent metallic clinking, accompanied by an intense killer intent. All three genin pivoted simultaneously, each with a kunai in hand as if it had appeared there of its own will. But they were too slow. Kakashi's eye was wide in surprise as barbed chains pulled tight about him, their lengths attached to two cloaked ninja that had apparently come out of thin air. The barbs of the chains dug in viciously as the pair of assassins chanted together.

"First one," they snarled. Faster than any of them could blink, the lengths of metal retracted to their wielders. The result was lost in a cloud of mayhem and gore, what was left of Kakashi falling to the ground and kicking up a haze of dust and dirt as the chains ripped cleanly through the jounin.

Four pairs of eyes were wide in shock. It had happened so fast. Tazuna looked like he might be sick. Sasuke cursed and grit his teeth, preparing for a fight. Hinata's horrified gasp was replaced quickly with rapid footsteps, placing her between the two ninja and the bridge builder. Fear threatened to take hold of her, but she forced it away. As quickly as the attackers had appeared, they blurred in movement, seeming to vanish from sight.

"Second one." The echo came immediately behind Naruto, who had been caught outside of the group at his position on point. Even as he turned he knew it wouldn't be fast enough. Each of the assassins raised a clawed hand, now a mere meter away, the vicious links attaching them already threatening to encircle him. Naruto grit his teeth, still mid-spin, forcing himself down towards the ground in an attempt to flatten and avoid the weapons. Thankfully, his teammates had recovered.

A shuriken ripped through the air, catching the chain in its flight and pinning it to a nearby tree. Sasuke had leapt towards Naruto the moment the attackers had vanished, sensing the weak point and reacting precisely. A kunai followed hot on the shuriken's tail, striking the tree trunk through the center of the first weapon and securing the chain tight to the tree. The Uchiha landed a breath later, striking out at both attackers with vicious kicks and knocking them both off balance towards Naruto, who didn't miss a beat.

The blond boy turned his fall into a sidelong roll towards one of the attackers, catching him off guard with a flurry of blows and slashes from the kunai. But his opponent was good. It was apparent that the enemy was at least of chuunin level, and the vicious looking claws they wore indicated that they were close-quarters combat specialists. After surprising the man with a few solid blows and some minor slashes, he caught up and began trading blows evenly. Naruto, like his companions, may have been fairly ahead of their years in taijutsu, but the assassin likely had years of experience in his trade. Blood sprayed from the back of Naruto's hand as a claw raked it, forcing him to drop the kunai and leap back. An odd tingling sensation rose immediately from the wounded hand, eliciting a curse from the genin.

"Poison!" Naruto called to his allies before reengaging his foe. His only real hope was to survive and keep the assassin from getting to the others, praying that Sasuke and Hinata could handle the other and come to assist after.

As soon as Sasuke had pinned their weapons, the other attacker split off, rushing Tazuna with claws bared. Hinata stood ready in her jyuken stance, bloodline activated and her features set in determination. Sasuke blurred next to the oncoming foe, sweeping a leg in an attempt to trip him up. The enemy ninja leapt, though the kick caught his right leg, throwing the jump off course. Hinata was ready.

"Hakke: Sixty-Four Palms!" she cried, eyes narrowing in concentration. Thanks to Sasuke's actions her attacker had slowed and been forced to jump too high, just within reach of the young Hyuuga. "Two strikes," she murmured, hands flying as she shifted forward to intercept the oncoming ninja. Her first two blows sparked tiny blue flames on his chest and stopped him cold, but she didn't let up to make sure her aim was on. "Four strikes," she continued methodically, limbs moving faster with each new set. "Eight strikes. Sixteen strikes." Hinata ground her teeth, the muscles in her arms screaming in protest as her speed reached its peak, the power in each blow increasing exponentially. "Thirty-two strikes." Her attacker coughed and staggered back, a small amount of blood spattering through his black cloth mask. Halfway through her series Hinata faltered, stumbling back and breathing heavily. Her arms shook violently, the strain of less than half of the ability apparent in her whole body.

The assassin growled, dropping to one knee and breathing even more heavily than the girl. He reached into his belt pouch, withdrawing two small spheres, preparing to cast them at the ground to throw up a smoke screen. But he never got the chance. Kakashi was suddenly just there, holding Naruto's attacker limp in one arm and his accomplice's neck in the other. He looked calm as ever, though there was an undertone of anger in his eyes that was felt more than it was seen.

"Well done, you three," he stated dryly, a bit of pride showing through his curtness. Hinata collapsed onto her knees, still shaking but overjoyed and relieved to see their teacher unharmed. Sasuke rose from his crouch, trying to seem aloof but succeeding only to a degree. He, like his friend, was thankful as well. "Naruto, are you alright?" It was these words that drew their attention to the blond boy, laying sprawled on his back where he had been engaged in combat. Hinata gasped and tried to stand too quickly, falling back but managing to call to her friend.

"I'm fine," Naruto sighed, sitting up slowly and holding his head with his uninjured hand. "I just moved too much after I got hit; had to cut out the poison." It was then that they noted a sizeable gouge taken out of the back of his hand and the bloody kunai sitting next to him. As soon as Kakashi had intervened he had sliced open his own hand, allowing it to bleed freely for a time to get the poison out. The wound, however, already appeared to be closing on its own, skin rapidly stitching itself together under the cover of blood. He stood slowly, wobbling only slightly as he made his way to the rest. Aside from appearing to be a bit pale, Naruto seemed as well as he claimed.

"Quick thinking, though you should sit down for a while. Doubtless some of the poison circulated through you during the conflict, and I didn't bring any antidotes along. Sasuke, excellent reaction time; you saved Naruto's life. Hinata, you acted properly protecting Tazuna, and what's more you incapacitated a skilled enemy impressively. Naruto, you were right to engage your target to keep him away from the others. All in all, excellent work. Now," he continued, turning his hard stare towards the bridge builder. "I think we need to have a talk."

It took a few minutes for Kakashi to get the assassins tied up and awake, allowing time for Hinata and Naruto to recover. Sasuke bandaged his friend's wounded hand while they spoke.

"Thanks for the help, Sasuke," Naruto said with a sigh, wincing once as the cloth tightened around his hand. The Uchiha shook his head, smirking slightly.

"I only distracted them long enough for you two to take them out. I dunno if you saw what Hinata did to that guy, but it was pretty incredible. What was that anyway?" Hinata sat fidgeting nearby, cheeks colored at the relatively minor praise.

"I-it's a technique designed to shut down all of the tenketsu points on a person's body, and also deal a good amount of physical damage." She blinked up at her friends, looking between them and wondering why they looked so stunned. "B-but I didn't do it right," she continued dully, color fading from her face again. "I couldn't even get halfway through it."

"Hinata, do you realize how fast you were moving?" Sasuke asked bluntly, tying off Naruto's bandage as he spoke. "If I heard you correctly you just shut off sixty-four of his tenketsu, and simultaneously drove him back with the force. Even if you didn't complete it, it was still damn impressive."

"I was only able to do it with your help," she responded modestly, though flushed again and bowed her head. "Are you okay, Naruto-kun?" The blond boy had been smirking between the two of them, though tried to hide it as Hinata turned towards him, her milky eyes showing concern.

"Yeah, I'm alright. That guy was pretty tough, but I kept up okay I think. Just wasn't careful enough to avoid his claws, I guess. I think the poison's out of my system, though." He stood slowly to emphasize the point, offering a hand to Hinata as he did. She took it with a nod, trying not to blush more than she already was. Kakashi was just standing back from the tree that now held the assassins hostage.

"Tazuna-san," Kakashi began slowly, eyes staying fixed on the two attackers. "Do you know why I allowed everyone present to believe I had been killed?" Tazuna shook his head, a bead of sweat making its way slowly down from his temple. "I wanted to see what they were after. Any jounin worth his salt would have noticed the puddle they were concealed within; it hasn't rained in days." The two prisoners glowered and growled, though quieted at a hard look from their captor. "These two are the Demon Brothers, chuunin-level ninja from the Hidden Mist." Kakashi turned towards Tazuna now, his eye boring a hole through the man. "Is there a reason these two were after you?"

"I – I'm not sure what you mean," the bridge builder responded, voice a little too high to be sincere.

"I think you do," Kakashi returned flatly. "You hired us for a C-Rank mission. If we had known you were being pursued by other ninjas, this would have been at least a B-Rank mission, and an expensive one at that. You might have a good reason for withholding information, but if it puts my team in danger then I have no choice but to call off this mission."

"Wait, please!" A desperate edge in the old man's voice made Kakashi stop after he had turned away. The jounin glanced back, raising an eyebrow in question. "You're right," he sighed, casting a look towards the assassins. "My country is poor, and we couldn't afford to pay for a high ranking mission. I didn't think Gatoh would go this far, but–"

"Gatoh?" Kakashi interrupted, blinking several times as he turned to face Tazuna again. "The billionaire and president of the Gatoh Company?"

"The one and only," Tazuna replied bitterly. "He came to our lands about a year ago, and has been a terror ever since. He employs gangs and ninjas to curb lands to his will, and he's after me now because of the bridge I'm building to the mainland."

"Ano, sir?" Hinata ventured cautiously, looking anxious. "Why is a bridge such a threat to Gatoh? Attempts on your life seem . . . Extreme for such a thing."

"In a nut shell, Gatoh controls the shipping industry; that's how he got rich in the first place. If our country gained access to the mainland by means other than ships, it would threaten his hold on our nation. That's why I needed to make sure I was protected. Without me, the bridge can't be completed, and with such pressures already in place no one else will step forward to continue the project. It may seem dramatic, but without me our country may shrivel and die, sucked dry by Gatoh's greed and malice." A long minute passed after the old man's speech, his dark eyes pleading as they went to each of them in turn. "I know what I did was wrong, but I had no choice, for the sake of my village; for the sake of my family."

"We're not unsympathetic," Kakashi sighed, a hand lifting back to rub at the back of his neck. "But the fact remains that you put my team – three genins, newly promoted ninjas – in danger because of your deceit. I don't have a choice but to terminate the mission. We can protect you and bring you back to the village, but from there you'll have to put in a proper request."

"Sensei, his village can't afford to pay the fee." It was Naruto's turn to speak now. He had been listening to the exchange, flexing his hand as he considered the situation. "Iruka-sensei always said that a ninja should always help when somebody deserving is in need. I don't want to just leave his village to that jerk Gatoh, do you?" Hinata looked for a moment at Naruto, biting at her lower lip, before she turned and nodded her agreement to Kakashi.

"I agree with Naruto, but only if he's going to be straight with us from here on out. I don't want any more surprises like that," Sasuke interjected coolly. Kakashi looked intently from one of his students to the other, considering their words before sighing again.

"You three know the kind of danger this mission now offers. These two may have been chuunin-level, but they were experienced assassins. Seeing more of them, or even a jounin wouldn't be out of the question. You're still willing to go on?" It took a little longer than it might normally for them to respond, but three nods of affirmation came quickly enough. He sighed again. "Tazuna, wait with them. I'm going to have a talk with our new friends here." Without waiting for a reply Kakashi turned, vanishing in a cloud of white smoke, the two captive ninja mysteriously gone with him.

"Well, may as well go over the recap like we would in training," Sasuke started after a moment, plopping down to wait for Kakashi. Hinata, you first; you had a better view of Naruto and I during the initial attack." On his cue the other two sank to the ground, facing one another with a good amount of room between.

"Like Kakashi-sensei said, your reaction was what saved us. Your aim was perfect as usual, but your jump was off a little. If you had landed a little in front of them instead of on their arms, you could have kicked them back and off balance without sacrificing your own positioning, and maybe engaged the other before he could get to Tazuna." Despite her usual demure self, this was something Hinata had gotten used to from training with her friends. They could all offer one another constructive criticism and not worry about feeling bad for it. She couldn't help the slight blush as she addressed Naruto, however. "Naruto-kun, I think Sasuke realized it faster than either of us that you were the next target after Kakashi-sensei. If you had picked it out quicker you may have been able to avoid the attack without Sasuke's help. But you recovered well, and like he said you were right to engage and keep the one away from us. Just be a little more cautious of what kind of weapons your opponent is using." Naruto and Sasuke both nodded at the appropriate parts, taking in their friend's comments before discussing between themselves briefly.

"Guess we were all on the same page," Naruto said with a small grin, turning to Hinata and shoving her shoulder lightly. "You're the only one who did everything perfect." He had expected her to flush and deny it, but she simply shook her head.

"If I had completed the technique he wouldn't have been able to move at all, and we could have helped you. Well, Sasuke could have. Because of me, Kakashi-sensei had to come back in to save us . . ." She trailed off, shoulders rolling very slightly in a shrug. "I should have been able to do it."

"Young lady, I'm not sure what you did, but it was the most impressive thing I've ever seen. Not only did you remain calm in that situation, but you protected me, and with the finesse of one far beyond your age." Hinata blinked up at the old man that had addressed her, his broad smile proof that he had reassessed his opinion of the trio. "You should be proud."

"Tazuna-san is right, Hinata," Sasuke agreed. "If you really want some criticism all I can give is that you should practice that more; your body obviously isn't used to it, and I've never seen anything like that when we spar. I'm sure if you put some work into it you'd be able to master it before long. You're faster than either of us, so I bet it's just a matter of conditioning so your muscles can handle the stress."

The Hyuuga girl looked from one of her friend's to the other, and up to Tazuna, before finally allowing herself a small smile, ducking her head before anybody could see the red creeping into her cheeks. Thankfully, Kakashi returned shortly thereafter, saving her from the embarrassment.

"They didn't betray much. All I could learn was that there are more of them in whatever organization they belong to, or maybe just other mercenaries Gatoh has hired." None of them asked what happened to the assassins after the questioning. "Tazuna-san, as Sasuke said, if we are to continue this mission you will need to share any and all information you have with us. Is there anything else we should know before we continue?"

"Only that we will be on our own. Gatoh's gang has the town beaten down, and nobody dares challenge his authority. I don't know any specifics about who he's hired, aside from the fact that he's contracted ninjas to kill me."

"Alright. Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata; I'm upgrading this mission to high B-Rank as of now. You are to be combat ready at all times. Hinata will stay on point; activate your Byakugan every five minutes to scan ahead and all around us. At the first sign of danger, form up around Tazuna in the swastika formation. I will handle any threats from here on out, understood?" A sharp chorus of affirmation from Team Seven elicited a nod from Kakashi. "Good. Let's move out."

* * *

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* * *

"We're sharing a tent?" Naruto had a look on his face that was somewhere between incredulous and embarrassed. Kakashi, who had just finished delivering the news, blinked up at the boy quizzically before shaking his head and returning to erecting his own tent.

"Didn't they tell you when you were at the academy? A ninja is a ninja; male or female makes little difference in the field, and most times you won't have the luxury of separate accommodations anyway. You three are small enough to share a tent between you, and besides, don't you live with Hinata already?" Kakashi's mask covered his mischievous smirk. As far as he was concerned they were far too young to worry about in the first place, but there was no harm in teasing for something the boy wouldn't understand. As expected, more color rose in Naruto's features.

"Well yeah but we don't sleep in the same room," he muttered, turning away and walking back to his friends. He shrugged and shifted back and forth on his feet before speaking, trying not to look as uncomfortable as he felt. "Kakashi says we have to share a tent; he only brought two." They both blinked back at him, though Sasuke didn't seem perturbed. Hinata, though, traversed the color spectrum more rapidly than he thought was possible. "Sasuke and I can just sleep outside; there's plenty of trees around. Right Sasuke?" The Uchiha boy shrugged and nodded, turning back to finish putting up their tent.

"N-no!" Hinata said quickly, waving her hands in front of her. "It's alright, r-really. I mean, we've been friends for years, it's not a big deal . . ." She trailed off lamely, more red rising to her cheeks and ears. Naruto looked at her curiously for a moment, then shrugged, scratching at the back of his neck.

"Alright, if you say so. Here, let me help Sasuke." He rushed to the opposite side of the tent, both legitimately to help his friend and also for an excuse to get away from the awkward conversation. Iruka had gone over some things with him over the years, including certain behavior that was expected with girls. It was only recently that he had started to notice that Hinata was, in fact, female. Like she said, they had been friends since childhood, and it had never mattered before.

Less than an hour later they sat in a circle around a campfire, the flames set low in a dug out hole. Kakashi was reading one of his little books while his team cleaned and sharpened the equipment that had been used that day. A small boar had been caught for the night's meal and now sat on a spit over the fire.

"You three never told me you could cook," Kakashi mused, not looking up from his reading. "I expected Hinata to have been taught at some point, but not you two."

"Iruka-sensei said I should learn some simple stuff for missions, and in case he wasn't home. Most of it is just seasoning, though, like the rub for this one," Naruto responded modestly, showing Kakashi the small bag of herbs and salts he had ground and used to season the meat. "I made this one before we left."

"I've lived alone for a while," Sasuke said evenly, leaning back from a handful of wild vegetables he had finished chopping. He slid a portion of each onto five plates while Hinata began cutting from the spit, making sure each dish had a sizeable chunk or two of meat before passing them to Kakashi and Tazuna.

_I almost feel like this is cheating, having three long-time friends on the same team. They even cook using teamwork. _Kakashi shook his head and thanked Hinata before settling down to eat. All three had stopped questioning how the jounin managed to eat without them ever seeing his face. Sometimes his food just vanished, as if he had employed his ninja training in eating just as well as in combat. Other times it disappeared bit by bit, presumably when absolutely nobody was looking his way. Tonight was the latter method.

"Damn good," Tazuna praised through a mouthful of pork, grinning at the three genin and shaking his head. "I was wrong about you three, and I apologize for what I said before. I've seen how you handle yourselves in a fight, and now I'm very glad to say I've seen how you can cook!" He barked out a raucous laugh before tearing off another piece of meat. Their reaction to his words was as expected: Naruto beamed and smiled broadly, Sasuke shrugged and sipped water from a canteen, and Hinata ducked her head.

"We'll be on the move again by dawn." Kakashi's voice came to them through the light tent fabric, ripples spreading from where he flicked the material from the outside. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata were inside, setting out bedrolls and preparing to sleep. "We need to meet Tazuna's contact at nine a.m. so that he can escort us across the straight to Wave Country. No dawdling in the morning." Moments later the glow of the campfire faded in a torrent of hissing, followed shortly by the sound of earth shifting to swallow up the pit.

Naruto yawned and crawled onto the center roll, shrugging out of his sleeveless coat and folding it where his head would be to act as a pillow. After slipping out of his dark jika-tabi – something Iruka had encouraged him to pick up after Naruto had voiced his dislike for sandals – he settled on his makeshift bed, lifting a hand to his shirt collar before stopping abruptly. He glanced sideways at Hinata, who was turned towards the entrance of their tent removing her footwear. He shrugged to himself then, quickly slipping out of the grey t-shirt. _It's hot, and Hinata won't care; Sasuke and I have trained without shirts before._

Hinata mimicked her friend, folding and turning to put down her coat, something that was getting all too warm to be wearing this time of year. She turned to move to the head of her bedroll and froze, blinking at Naruto and Sasuke. They had both casually removed their shirts while she had been turned. Sasuke lay already dozing on his side, back to the two of them. Naruto hadn't yet fallen asleep, but he was lying on his back, eyes half lidded and muttering something about ramen. She sat there for a moment, color rising in her face for the umpteenth time that night, before shaking her head and forcing the heat away.

_No different than training,_ she said to herself again and again as she lay down. But it wasn't the same, for some reason. Even as her friends quickly succumbed to sleep she stayed awake for a time, trying to reason out thoughts and feelings until exhaustion finally won over.

* * *

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* * *

Naruto stifled a yawn as they walked, keeping his eyes on the woods and doing his best not to think about that morning. He had woken first and blinked his eyes open mere centimeters from Hinata's face; it had been all he could do to stay quiet and slowly sit back and up. The experience – coupled with the previous night's awkward conversation – had given him enough thought to muddle through the whole morning. It was something he had resigned to talk to Iruka about when they returned.

As Kakashi had promised, they arrived at the meeting point just before nine. Trees thinned out to reveal a narrow strand of beach, though they could see only a few meters through the thick fog coming off of the sea beyond. A man stood on the shore next to a small wooden boat, its bow half buried in the sand. Without wasting any time they made hasty introductions and were aboard, shoving off from the land and delving into the curtain of mist. The short journey across the channel was uneventful, save for the appearance of the bridge looming out of the haze above them.

"Is that your bridge, Tazuna-san?" Naruto asked curiously, eyes a little wide in wonder. It was enough that the youth – like his friends – had never been allowed outside of the village. Such structures were awe inspiring.

"Aye, that's it. That's our village's hopes and dreams." No further conversation was to be had; the fog felt ominous, in a way. It held the same effect as a dark room, where people whispered on instinct even when there might not be a reason to. It was like a living entity, one that demanded a respectful silence.

The whiteness broke suddenly as they entered a low tunnel, emerging on the other side to clear skies and open blue water into what seemed like an artificial lagoon. Their guide docked the boat at a nearby wooden platform, ushering them off quickly and looking around nervously.

"Thank you," Tazuna said solemnly, nodding to the man. His only response was a curt nod, more glances in around, and the roar of the engine starting as he peeled away from the dock. "As you can see," the old man continued dryly, turning towards the path that ran off into the woods, "People are scared to even be seen with me. Can't blame them, though; Gatoh's got the whole village scared."

"That'll change once we're through," Naruto stated confidently, grinning from Tazuna's side. The words earned him a smirk from their client. "C'mon, let's get you back home mister. The sooner we get back the sooner that jerk Gatoh will get what's coming to him." Tazuna couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's assurance, shaking his head but starting down the road without further encouragement.

Several kilometers of walking later Hinata stopped, raising a small fist in the air to signal a halt. Kakashi appeared next to her, speaking quietly.

"What is it?" he murmured, his eye scanning the trees in the direction the girl was looking. Her Byakugan was active and she staring intently ahead.

"There's somebody in the trees ahead, maybe three hundred meters ahead. No, three hundred and twenty-five meters. I can't make out many details, but he's tall, and has a huge sword on his back that's longer than he is." Sasuke and Naruto tensed at the same time, drawing out their kunai. Kakashi nodded and stepped in front of Hinata.

"Good work," he said quietly. "Fall back to protect Tazuna; I'll handle him." She nodded and fell in with her team in the swastika formation, a kunai of her own already in hand. Meanwhile Kakashi proceeded at the same pace, eyes ahead and taking mental note of where the enemy was. "Inform me if he moves."

The party proceeded three hundred meters before Hinata spoke again, a rapid whisper to their instructor. "He's coming this way, though I don't think he's heading towards us. He should appear ten meters ahead of us." As if on cue, a form blurred into their path, blocking their advance.

The man that now stood before them was tall indeed. He wore no shirt, only pinstriped trousers held up by modified suspenders. Black and white leg and arm warmers adorned each limb, and bandages covered most of his face. Kakashi cocked his head to the side, feigning calm as he spread his hands to his sides.

"Momochi Zabuza, eh?" Kakashi drawled, still apparently relaxed and bored. "Last I heard you were exiled from the Hidden Mist and put in their Bingo Book. Failed coups will do that, I hear."

"Hatake Kakashi, the Leaf's infamous copy ninja. Your party's packing quite the ocular punch: an Uchiha _and_ a Hyuuga? Unless the boy just likes the old clan symbol." Zabuza matched his adversary's posture, feigning nonchalance while every muscle in his body was poised for action. "I didn't even bother with an ambush; the girl would have warned you anyway. Any chance you'll want to make this easy and just hand the old man over?"

"Tempting offer, but no thanks," Kakashi responded coolly, hand moving lazily to lift his forehead protector from the always-hidden eye. "You three protect Tazuna. I'll handle him." They were already set in balanced combat stances, though each watched their teacher with interest. None of them had ever seen that eye, and had never thought to ask why it was hidden. Zabuza sighed and shrugged, the motion loosening the massive blade that hung on his back.

"As you wish. But don't think I'm going to let you use your Sharingan that easily." A noise escaped Sasuke's lips, something between a gasp and a growl. But there was little time to discuss the cause of his unrest. Zabuza vanished and reappeared several meters back from his starting point, standing atop a small river and channeling his chakra. In seconds a thick mist rose from their surroundings, coating the air even thicker than the fog covering the sea. Kakashi was all but lost from sight, only his outline remaining visible.

And then they felt it. Sweat beaded almost immediately on the three genin and Tazuna alike, and it was not a result of heat or condensation. The air was thick with killing intent unlike any they had ever felt, radiating from Kakashi and seeming to emanate from the mist around them. This man was a jounin, and on a whole other level than the Demon Brothers. He had initiated an assault by himself without even hesitating, and he moved with a speed that could rival Kakashi's. This was something entirely out of their league, and they knew it.

"He can appear anywhere in this mist, and in complete silence. Don't let your guard down for an instant." Kakashi's voice sounded slightly muffled from the mist, but they understood enough to stiffen and continue glancing around warily.

Without warning Hinata spun, lashing out behind them with her kunai. Tazuna had been the only one just behind them, but in less time than a blink the new assassin had appeared in the narrow opening, heavy blade ready to strike down all four at once. The kunoichi had reacted first, however, slicing from Zabuza's hip to his shoulder in one fluid movement. Kakashi was there in a heartbeat, but already the form had melted into a puddle of water.

"Water clone," Kakashi muttered, glancing down to Hinata, who was breathing harder than she ought to be. "Calm down," he said with what must have been a reassuring smile. "I won't let anything happen to any of–" A thick metal blade cut through his torso mid-sentence, slicing the silver-haired jounin in half and preventing him from finishing the sentence. Permanently, or so the horrified genin thought.

More water splashed onto the ground where Kakashi's body had been. The real one now stood just behind the sword's wielder, kunai's tip pressed against Zabuza's back just below the left set of floating ribs. "Don't move," he said calmly, digging the blade in a little further.

"Heh, pretty good Kakashi. But you'll need to do more than copy techniques to beat me." Kakashi dropped to the ground before Zabuza had finished speaking, his giant sword sweeping over his head and taking off a few silver hairs. But the missing nin was fast. In an instant he had spun, a whirling kick striking Kakashi in the jaw. The Sharingan user careened backwards, gritting his teeth just before hitting the water beyond the road. "I'll be right back, kids," Zabuza growled, a maniacal grin on the man's face. Then he blurred and was atop the water again, hands moving so fast that they could hardly make out the hand signs. "Suiton: Water Prison!"

The technique landed just as Kakashi surfaced. A cascade of swirling water closed on him, capturing and immobilizing the Konoha jounin. Without hesitation Kakashi shouted to his team, words a little distorted but clearly audible.

"Take Tazuna and run!" All three of his genin stood there, stunned and blinking. Had they really seen it? Had Kakashi been captured right in front of their eyes after such a brief yet impressive exchange? He growled and shouted again as Zabuza made a hand sign with one hand, the other emerged in the water prison. "He's stronger than I thought; get away now before–"

"No!" Naruto's retort may have been offered louder than necessary, but it got the message across. Kakashi balked and blinked, actions mimicked by Zabuza.

"We're not leaving an ally behind," Sasuke interjected, trying to stay calm despite the all too reasonable fear of death. Hinata could only nod put on her best determined look, which looked all too pale.

"No?" the Mist ninja asked, amused. "Kakashi, you didn't teach your students very well. Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu." A single copy of Zabuza formed between him and the party of four, eyes turned up in what must have been a grin behind that mask. The clone took over speaking now. "I've already captured Kakashi. I hope you realize I can crush you before you take in your next breath." None of them seemed to be paying him much attention.

"Hinata, stay with Tazuna," Naruto muttered out of the corner of his mouth, quiet enough for only his allies to hear. "I'll leave a few clones too. Sasuke, pattern D, but use yourself, and ignore his clone. We have to break him away from the prison or none of us are getting out of here alive." Sasuke nodded, drawing out two fists of shuriken before his friend had even named the plan. The blond boy faced Zabuza defiantly then, forming the clone seal and roaring, "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Hinata blinked at the smoke surrounding the small vale. She had seen Naruto perform his clone technique many times, but she had never heard him add that prefix along with it. And now she knew why. A veritable horde of Narutos now stood in every available space, some even alighting on nearby trees for the lack of space. There had to have been nearly a hundred of them, maybe more, every one of them poised with a kunai and sneering at Zabuza. But her eyes showed her more than just that. Her Byakugan could see a person's chakra circulatory system, as well as the chakra inside of it. While there were an incredible number of clones, they all had only a very small amount of chakra, which meant that Naruto himself had spent nearly his whole reserve. From observation she knew that he had more chakra than anybody she had seen, even more than Kakashi, and the fact that he had been able to split the stores between so many and still stand was both incredible and frightening.

"Naruto," she gasped softly, "You can't–!"

"I'm fine," he responded roughly. "I need to give Sasuke the best distraction I can." Hinata bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and looked away, focusing again on Zabuza as five clones moved in close beside her. "Let's go!" he shouted, charging forward in a wave of battle cries.

Even Zabuza seemed taken aback for a moment. He couldn't look in any direction without seeing a dozen blond kids charging towards him, dark coats billowing behind them and all brandishing weaponry. "Huh, impressive, but my sword was made for . . ." He blinked, watching two fists of shuriken fly out of the horde and straight past the clone. "Brats," he muttered, his free arm moving in a blur to deflect each and every projectile. Meanwhile the clone had taken to warding off the swarm, broad blade cutting swathes through the crowd, taking out four or five with each swing and sparring one-handed with any that managed to get past.

Kakashi watched, helpless to act. It was chaos from his point of view. Narutos were shouting from every direction, each one acting on its own to take down Zabuza's clone and get past him. The ranks were thinning quickly, but he knew what their plan was. They had a chance.

A fuuma shuriken whirred out of the din, on course to cut the real Zabuza down. He rolled his eyes, twisting his body and catching the spinning blade deftly in his free hand. But just as Kakashi expected, a second was hot on the other's heels, hidden in the other's shadow so perfectly that even he had not seen it. _That's Sasuke, for you._ Zabuza's eyes went wide, and for the briefest moment Kakashi thought they had won.

"Nice try." The assassin brought his legs up to his chest in a standing jump, allowing the deadly weapon to pass directly under him.

"Game over," Kakashi smirked. Zabuza snarled and turned, but it was too late. Just like when they had taken the bell from Kakashi, the fuuma shuriken burst into a cloud of smoke and Sasuke had emerged from it. Two kunai were already heading straight for Zabuza's head and back, another fist of shuriken following closely after. He had no choice but to dodge, lest he want his life to end at the hands of a child.

With a guttural growl Zabuza tore his arm from the water prison, releasing the technique and allowing the projectiles to pass by him, though not without getting nicked by one or two. He brought the caught shuriken back for a throw, aiming at Sasuke with unmistakable rage in his eyes. "You . . . Fool!"

"I don't think so." Kakashi's voice came low and dangerous, his vice-like grip closing in around Zabuza's wrist. "You'd better believe I won't underestimate you again. Sasuke!" Even before the call the Uchiha was rushing forward, feet flying across the water with a kunai bared to strike at the enemy. Zabuza glanced back to his clone, but it was dissolving into water after one of the few dozen remaining Narutos got a knife into its side. More were now sprinting towards the river.

Suddenly Zabuza's body jerked, going into a brief spasm before he simply started to fall towards the water. Kakashi's head whipped around to a nearby tree, allowing the body to fall limp into the stream. Sasuke stopped short skidding to a halt and looking wide-eyed at his enemy's neck. Two long senbon protruded from the back of the man's neck, apparently having killed him instantly. As suddenly as the conflict had begun, it ceased, the thundering of clone footsteps dying down as they realized what had happened. The area was silent for a long moment before a voice spoke from the tree Kakashi was regarding with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry about that," came the calm voice. A short, androgynous-looking ninja stood on a branch of the tree, face concealed by an ANBU mask with the Hidden Mist's symbol at the forehead. "But I couldn't risk him getting away and you had him still for me." The newcomer inclined his head to Kakashi before continuing. "The Mist thanks you for your assistance in taking down one of its most wanted exiles."

"You're a hunter-nin from the Hidden Mist," Kakashi said warily, straightening slowly. "Why did you wait so long to kill him?"

"I only just arrived on his trail; I've been tracking his movements for days. I got here just as the water prison broke and was waiting for a clear path, which was only just provided." Without waiting for approval the hunter vanished in a swirl of wind and leaves, reappearing beside the fallen man to reach down and feel for a pulse. "He is deceased. Would you care to confirm it before I dispose of the body?" There was a certain amused, yet cold tone that the young man – or woman – spoke with. Kakashi knelt to feel Zabuza's neck.

"He's dead. Go ahead." With a curt nod the masked ninja leaned down, lifting the much larger man onto one shoulder and turning to regard Kakashi again.

"Best of luck in your mission. I apologize on behalf of my village for the trouble Zabuza has caused you." He raised a hand in a seal, and in another swirl of wind was gone. An eerie quiet fell over the scattered group, lasting for a long minute before Kakashi sighed, lowering his hitai-ate back to its normal position.

"Status," he asked tiredly as he and Sasuke made their way back to the others, the group of Narutos letting them pass while they looked around cautiously.

"Tazuna-san is safe, as are Naruto and I," Hinata said shakily, calming down slowly. "Sasuke didn't take any damage either. Are you alright, sensei?"

"Yes, thanks to you all," he beamed, looking at each of them in turn. "I guess I shouldn't be impressed by now that you all can think on your feet, but well done. Dinner's on me when we get back to Konoha." Hinata almost giggled, and Sasuke even allowed himself a small smirk. "I appreciated the sentiment when you challenged Zabuza, Naruto, but next time you don't have to be so dramatic." To his surprise, Naruto didn't respond immediately. Or at all. "Naruto?"

Kakashi turned in time to see the remaining shadow clones go up on a cloud of smoke, the original falling forward in what seemed like slow motion. He didn't even have time to think about moving before Hinata was at Naruto's side, catching him before he struck the ground. Sasuke was right behind her, kneeling by his friend and looking worried.

"Naruto . . ." Hinata breathed, lowering him carefully down and turning him over. His eyes were closed, breathing shallow, and his face was ashen with a cold sweat had breaking on his brow. "Naruto!"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I'm back! Got finished with my cross-country ride and started writing almost immediately. I did miss it.

Just a few notes, the first of which is to thank my beta, Rhi. This chapter had a lot of issues that she painstakingly helped me fix.

Secondly, I hope you didn't find this chapter too boring. For those familiar with the canon yes, it is very close to it, largely with changes only to the conversation and a few additional scenes. I made some assumptions and took some liberties, but overall it turned out as expected. The next chapter is where I expect the real changes to start coming in to play, so stay tuned.

Lastly, I wanted to address a common concern voiced in reviews: the extreme-ness of Hyuuga Hiashi. I will agree and say I did overdo it at some points, but I do have a reason for it that does tie into the AU. In the canon Hinata wasn't around Naruto, and here she was with him nigh constantly for 5-6 years. I went off of the assumption that Hiashi would look at Naruto with the same disdain the rest did, and his proximity to his daughter would only make it worse and subsequently he took it out on Hinata. Maybe I still took it too far even with that reasoning, but I have plans for him in the future regardless so don't worry too much over it.

Thanks again for reading, following, and favoriting, and as always I welcome positive and negative reviews alike.


	7. Precious People

**Chapter 7 – Precious People**

"_**Wake up."**_

Naruto winced at the thunderous noise, head pounding with the worst headache he'd ever experienced. Leaden eyelids creaked open to a thankfully dull room, and for a long while all he could do was lay there, half submerged in an eerily familiar liquid. Had he been here before? The ceiling was lost in darkness far above, and shadows played high along the wall. It wasn't until his half-lidded eyes found the colossal metal bars that he sat bolt upright in sudden realization. He regretted the movement immediately, clutching at his head and stomach as the world spun for a few minutes.

"_**Slow down," **_the reverberating bass voice growled, _**"You nearly died. Again."**_ A touch of amusement touched the grating voice, though the words resounded with anger.

"How?" Naruto asked weakly, one eye moving slowly up to meet the red glow of the Kyuubi's eyes.

"_**Fool. Surely you were taught that chakra exhaustion can kill you. What did you think would happen if you summoned as many clones as you were capable of creating?" **_The demon's growl had turned from angry to mocking, eliciting an annoyed shrug from Naruto.

"I've never had to worry about my chakra before; everybody always says I have more than most people."

"_**You really are as dumb as you look. The only reason you have so much chakra is because I'm here."**_ Naruto blinked at that, raising a quizzical eyebrow. The room shook and a sound like an avalanche reverberated through the chamber. It took him a moment to realize that the Kyuubi was laughing at him. _**"You're not special, kid, just lucky. In order to contain me you had to develop larger chakra coils, something that happened gradually over your life. The result was a higher chakra capacity, but it's not unlimited like you seem to think, even if my chakra is mingling with yours more freely these days."**_

Naruto felt like vomiting. Well, more than he had already, at least. "Lucky?" he muttered, scowling at the rippling reflections in the water. "I'm lucky to have you here? Lucky to be an orphan? Lucky to have the whole village hate me because of you?" He spat the words with all the vehemence he could muster. The corners of his eyes stung as tears threatened to fall. The mocking laughter continued.

"_**You've hardly lived a decade and think you know something of hardship, boy?" **_The words stung and deepened the blond's glower. _**"You are the way you are today due to your menial suffering; you are stronger for it. Don't wallow in the past and feel sorry for yourself, mortal." **_Naruto shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off. _**"You think I don't understand?" **_The roar increased in volume, unbridled fury and contempt filling every syllable. _**"I'm forced to live inside of you, a prisoner for the rest of your damned life, and will ultimately die with you. I've been here since the beginning; I've heard every sound you've heard, seen every scene you've witnessed, felt everything emotion you've experienced. I know more about you than you do. What makes you think **__**I**__** don't understand?"**_

Naruto blinked again. He'd never considered that. It wasn't nearly enough to feel sorry for the fox, but it was enough to make him think twice before he assumed anything else.

"Sorry," he said finally. It was the Kyuubi's turn to blink this time. The two luminous eyes shifted sideways, one rising over the other in what must have been a massive head cocking to the side. "What? That sounds like it sucks. I know you're a demon, _and_ that you destroyed my village once upon a time, and–"

"_**And that I killed countless villagers, including your parents?" **_the voice sneered. A rumbling that could only be a cackle filled the air. _**"I don't need your sympathy, mortal child."**_

"My . . ." Naruto choked, staring at the Kyuubi. His bright blue eyes flickered to violet, wavering into the darkest indigo. How could he not have considered it? Mizuki had told him that the Kyuubi had attacked on the day he was born, and he had never known his parents. Looking back it seemed obvious, and achingly painful. Unbeknownst to him, the boy's irises were taking on an increasingly reddish hue, pupils beginning to twitch and writhe.

"_**Calm down," **_the fox demon sighed, _**"You'll have your chance later. I need to give you a warning before you wake up."**_ Naruto could hardly think straight, but noted the words enough to snarl towards the voice. _**"You seem like a reckless kid. I know you don't care what happens to me, but I have a vested interest in your survival. Next time you use up all of your chakra like that, you'll probably die. I was barely able to pry the seal open enough to siphon a sliver of chakra into you, and it was all that kept you alive." **_Naruto blinked again at that, but didn't lessen any of the malice he was projecting at the creature. _**"Next time you feel like doing something stupid, try discussing it with me first and maybe I can stop you from killing yourself. Time passes differently in here; this conversation has taken only a fraction of a second in the real world.**_

"Who were they?" he asked quietly, voice a forced calm through clenched teeth. "Who were my parents?" His ears were met only with more deep, echoing cackles that faded into the recesses of his mind. The world began spinning, and Naruto started shouting, a furious scream directed at the Kyuubi no Kitsune. He carried on until his thoughts were once again swallowed in darkness, but no matter how loud he yelled the taunting laugh of the fox never left his mind.

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* * *

"Naruto! Snap out of it and calm down!" Kakashi's voice rang out clear, followed swiftly by a sharp pain to his cheek.

Color swirled outward from the center of his vision, the world filling in again until it reached the edges. Naruto blinked several times as the room he was in seemed to sway back and forth before a gentle hand pressed against his chest and pushed him back down; he had apparently been sitting upright and thrashing about in his sleep. From what could be seen he was in a small room, laying on a comfortable bedroll. The walls were bare wood and few furnishings beyond a desk and a dresser occupied the area. _A bedroom,_ he thought blearily, fighting against the painful pressure between his eyes.

"Didn't have to hit me," he finally mumbled, licking at his chapped lips. "What happened?"

"You fell unconscious after the skirmish with Zabuza; according to Hinata you had almost no chakra left, and you _should_ have died." Kakashi seemed calm, but there was a hint of concern in his words. "I told you that version of the technique was forbidden for a reason; you didn't have to make so many."

"To be fair," Sasuke said dryly, grinning very slightly despite himself, "We might not have pulled it off otherwise. The chaos he caused was vital to the plan, and we may not have saved you if he had made too few. Call it a . . . Calculated risk?" Kakashi shook his head before taking a firm tone.

"Look, I know that you think what you did was necessary, and I'll admit it worked out this time, but it could just have easily killed you. Not to mention, if your plan had failed you would have all died." He let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "If ever I tell you to run again, do it, and don't argue. Understand?"

"No, sensei," Naruto said tiredly, trying to move again. That same gentle hand pushed him down a second time, though his aching limbs didn't argue. "You taught us yourself that those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum. None of us were going to leave you there, so you can forget about it. Just try not to get caught again." He tried his hand at a laugh but it came out as a rasp. "By the way, how long have I been unconscious?"

"Almost two days." Hinata spoke this time, her voice quiet and tense. He realized then that it had been her hand making sure he hadn't moved around, and it was still resting lightly on his chest. She sat next to him, legs folded beneath her and leaning forward slightly. The veins surrounding her eyes were receding, but even as they vanished he could see dark lines left in their wake, like thick spider webs just under the skin. They – like the dark circles under her eyes – contrasted sharply with her pale features.

"Hinata, Sasuke," Kakashi said quietly, not taking his eye from Naruto. "Will you go get some food and water from downstairs?" Sasuke looked from his friend to Kakashi once before shrugging and standing, walking towards the door on the far side of the room. Hinata chewed on her lower lip for a moment, before nodding quickly and rising to follow after him. As soon as the door closed, Kakashi continued in the same subdued tone. "She hasn't left your side since we arrived last night; she would have carried you the rest of the way had I not insisted on doing it." Naruto said nothing, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Sasuke has tried to pretend he hasn't been worried, but he's been up here to check on you as often as he could when not on duty protecting Tazuna. Your friends truly care about you, Naruto. If for no other reason, that is why you should be more careful." The boy blinked towards him, obviously not yet comprehending. "You're right about what I said, and I think you made the right decision in the end. But when you put your life in danger, when you choose a course of action that could kill you, it's not you that suffers most. It's those close to you." Naruto lowered his head back to the pillow, eyes returning to the wooden ceiling. They were shimmering slightly in the light. "Just remember that, Naruto. I had the same talk with the other two. I want to thank you, as I thanked them, for saving my life, as well as for saving each other's. If you won't run, which I can't blame you for deciding, at least remember to be cautious, and understand your own limits." He got a nod out of the blond, causing him to grin and ruffle the boy's hair.

The door opened and Hinata came through, carefully carrying a plate and two canteens presumably filled with water. It appeared that Sasuke had not returned with her. Kakashi didn't have to hide the knowing look, taking the mask for granted as he stood and stepped away from his student. "You'll be out of commission for another few days while you recover. Try not to move too much until tomorrow; I'll be back to check on you in the morning." With that he winked at Hinata, an action that was almost missed entirely due to him having only one eye to work with. The door closed behind him a moment later, leaving only Naruto and Hinata in the dimly lit room.

She set the plate down carefully, laying one of the canisters of water beside it. The other she brought to his side, sitting down again before unscrewing the cap and settling a straw inside. Naruto groaned and tried to sit up, but the same patient hand kept him down before moving to help lift his head to the straw. Despite his condition he managed to blush a little, more embarrassed than anything that he had to be helped to drink. He sipped slowly at the water, resisting the urge to take too much too fast. He had learned the hard way that that was a good way to get sick, or simply throw it back up.

After about a minute of slow sips he glanced up at Hinata. She hadn't said a word throughout the ordeal, for all the world appearing to be calm and collected. He could see the dark circles under her eyes more clearly now, the lingering veins to either side of her eyes more pronounced. It took him a moment to realize that she must have been far overusing her Byakugan for it to have gotten that bad; he had seen it happen once during a particularly long day of chakra control training, but it wasn't nearly as bad as this.

"Hinata, are . . ." He struggled for the right words for a moment, working through the headache and still fuzzy thoughts. "Are you okay?" Smooth as silk. For what felt like a full minute she looked down at him, at some point taking to biting at her lower lip again. He knew it as one of her several nervous habits, but it was starting to looked chapped for how often she must have chewed at it over the last day and a half. Kakashi had been right.

His head fell back on the pillow suddenly, and before he could think to lift it there was a pressure on his chest quite a bit heavier than the gentle hand that had been there a few minutes earlier. When he did manage to lift his head all he could see was the top of Hinata's head, ebony strands sticking out every which way. She had, more or less, fallen forward onto his chest, burying her face there and clutching tight at the blanket that covered him. His voice caught in his throat and he simply lay there, simultaneously feeling awkward and trying to figure out why he felt like crying all of a sudden. It was another long minute or two before she finally spoke, her voice no louder than a whisper.

"When you woke up," she started, voice trembling, "Y-you were yelling. You sounded so angry, and you were fighting against Kakashi like you . . . Like you were trying to hurt him." Naruto blinked at that. He remembered the dream with the Kyuubi clearly, but he hadn't realized that the line between reality and his mind had been blurred. "A-and your eyes, N-Naruto-kun! Your eyes were red, like they were back then, in the . . . In the forest." She broke off then, and for a time he wasn't sure if she was crying or simply trembling harder against him.

"I'm sorry," he said finally, very quietly, the words coming out thick. "I had . . . I had a bad dream."

"That's not true." Hinata's voice wasn't quite hard, but it was firm in a way he had never heard before. It was a little disconcerting, even. "I saw you just after you collapsed; I saw the orange chakra surge into your system. Just now it was rising in you again. I _saw_ it . . ." Her voice trailed off, as if she was uncertain what she had actually seen. "I don't know what it was, b-but I–" She cut off abruptly as Naruto's hand rested upon her shoulder, hesitating a moment before it moved to press against her upper back in a slightly awkward but fierce one-armed hug. Her friend had moved to prop himself up a little against the wall, a movement she hadn't even noticed in her rush to get her words out. Hinata let her hands fall from his chest and tucked her arms beneath him, returning the embrace with just as much fervor.

Naruto wasn't sure how long they sat there, or when the tears had started; or where they had ended, for that matter. All he knew was that at some point Hinata had fallen asleep, the steady rise and fall of his chest matching her own before long. It was clear that she had been even more exhausted than he, and if what Kakashi had said was true then she needed the rest. He carefully pulled a blanket from beside the bedroll, unfolding it with one hand and using the other to tug it gently over his friend's slumbering form.

The last thing he remembered before drifting off was that it was time to be honest with Hinata and Sasuke. After this mission was over, he'd tell them about the Kyuubi, consequences be damned.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"So you're telling me that you slept together like that, and _nothing_ happened?" Sasuke asked dubiously, exaggerating the tone just to see if he could get Hinata to turn a deeper shade of red. The normally withdrawn boy got a kick out of teasing her; it was one of the few things that still made him laugh, even if it was only a small chuckle. "Not even a little peck on the cheek?"

"No!" she said frantically, squeezing her eyes shut and clamping her hands over her ears. "I mean – yes, _nothing_ Sasuke!" Hinata wasn't actually speaking very loudly, although she was doing her best to convey her protests through hushed tones. She dropped her hands to her sides and continued intently examining the stone floor, trying not to think about when Sasuke had come to get her that morning. He had already taunted her about it several times over the course of the morning and early afternoon, making sure to describe to her how 'cute it looked'. He'd also never neglected to mention the bit of drool she had been accumulating at the corner of her mouth.

"Whatever you say, Hinata," he sighed, nodding sagely. "You two did look pretty cute and comfy there." As expected, the poor girl went from critical to nuclear in the color department. "Alright alright, I'll stop. Kakashi sent me to relieve you." She nodded without looking at him, which made him roll his eyes. "C'mon Hinata. It's obvious you like him, and have for a while. Just tell him already."

"I c-can't!" she squeaked, finding her voice finally only to cover her mouth a moment later. "I-I mean I don't! We're friends!" Sasuke gave her a flat look, then raised a hand and flicked her lightly between the eyes. The simple action made her flinch, then sigh and deflate, falling to sit on the railing just behind her. "It's not . . . That simple." That was true enough, at least. Sure she had admired Naruto for years, and had some unspoken affection for him for some time, but they had also been friends for nearly six years. Not to mention they were living in the same apartment now and any admission would complicate things. Sasuke shrugged but nodded.

"I know. But he likes you too; I just don't think he's really figured it out yet." Hinata blinked at that, big eyes getting even larger in genuine surprise. Again Sasuke rolled his eyes, moving to lean against the railing a few steps away. She opened her mouth to speak but he held up a hand. There was the shadow of a smirk tugging at his lips. "Honestly you're almost as clueless as he is," he sighed, chuckling again as she gave him her best glare. It might have terrified a butterfly. "Look, maybe it's hard, and maybe it's complicated, but the sooner you confess to him the better." Sasuke's voice took on a serious tone, growing more solemn by the word. "We all saw how fleeting life can be for a ninja out in the field." She bit her lip and nodded. He hadn't needed to finish the thought.

Hinata left the bridge and overseeing Tazuna to Sasuke shortly thereafter, making her way back towards the house and thinking on the advice her friend had given. It all _sounded_ good, and it _seemed_ reasonable, but she was so unsure. Naruto was brave, confident, funny; he was everything she wasn't. She didn't deserve somebody like that, not even as a friend, and let alone as anything closer. How would he react if he knew how she felt? The thought of rejection took a comfortable back seat to the fear of losing one of her only friends.

_I can't,_ she reasoned as she wandered towards the house, in no hurry to get back. _I'm not . . ._ What? Pretty enough; strong enough; funny enough; confident enough; _good enough._ The list went on in her head, an all too familiar repetition. Before long she had burrowed thoroughly into misery, stopping at a small grassy vale in the midst of another volatile thought. The sun shone down from above, warming her mind and body alike, a distraction from the downward spiral for a moment at least.

She had been standing still, taking in the afternoon sun when she realized that there was another person nearby, almost directly in front of her in fact. Hinata blinked and tensed reflexively before she noted that it was only a girl, dressed in a pale pink kimono with dark swirl patterns throughout. The girl was smiling at her, bowing towards Hinata as soon as she was noticed.

"I didn't mean to startle you," the girl began, blushing lightly. "I was just out gathering herbs and saw you passing by." She tilted her head, concern evident on her features. "Is something wrong, by chance?"

"No it's alright," Hinata responded with a demure smile, dipping her head in a polite bow. "And nothing's . . ." She hesitated. "Well, it's something, but not important . . ." She smiled again, though it was only half-hearted. The stranger frowned slightly and tilted her head the other way.

"Is it about somebody that's important to you?" The question was an innocent one, though the way the girl asked it implied that it carried much more weight than it might seem. Hinata blinked at her for a moment, then nodded slowly, trying her best not to flush when she thought about Naruto. The other girl smiled knowingly – and a little sadly, Hinata thought. "Ah, it's always hard to handle things when somebody we care about it is involved, isn't it?"

"Yes," she replied, returning the ambiguous smile with one of her own. She took a moment then to assess the stranger, realizing that she couldn't have been much older than herself. The girl was petite, and very pretty, with a smile that made Hinata feel warm inside despite the sadness it carried. Her long, dark hair fell straight down, effortlessly framing a heart-shaped face. "Ano . . . Do you live around here? Oh, and what's your name?" Hinata chided herself for the complete lack of civility she had shown, not even exchanging simple pleasantries with a stranger.

"I'm from far away," she replied, a touch of amusement in her tone. "My name is Haku." Hinata blinked. Wasn't Haku more of a boy's name? "What about you? I can tell from your hitai-ite that you're a ninja, at least."

"My name is Hinata," she answered, though hesitated before responding to the unasked question. "I'm also from far away, on a mission for my village." Hinata knew never to reveal where she was from or any details of a mission to an outsider. Missions were even to be kept secret from villagers and only discussed within the team and with authorized parties, such as clients and the Sandaime. She had revealed only common knowledge that anyone might assume.

"I see. Being a ninja is scary, isn't it?" Haku seemed almost painfully sympathetic, though she appeared to gain a bit of levity as she continued. "Going off around the world on dangerous missions, I mean. And," she ventured, raising an eyebrow, "I bet you're also scared for your important person, huh?" The girl smiled at Hinata's reaction – a definite blush now – and shook her head, stepping closer and further into the glade.

"O-of course, Haku-chan" Hinata stuttered at first, catching herself and evening her voice quickly after the hastily-added honorific. "It's only sensible to be scared; it helps you prepare for what's to come." Haku seemed to sense that the other girl was merely reciting something that had been memorized and repeated numerous times. She shook her head, smiling that sad smile again.

"I see. You are braver than I, Hinata-chan. You're very pretty, too, and I think you possess a strength like few I have ever met." Haku quelled the other girl's oncoming protests with another headshake, her hand rising to lightly touch her fingertips on Hinata's cheek. The Hyuuga girl could do little but blink and turn red, muttering something about misconceptions or the time. Haku beamed at her for a moment before returning to her sad smile. "Protect your important people, Hinata-chan. I can see you care for them very deeply. Real, pure strength comes from the will to protect those you care for. Don't forget that." With a last knowing, wistful smile, Haku turned and walked back from where she had come, stopping and turning her head to the side at the edge of the clearing. "I hope we see each other again soon, Hinata-chan. Oh," she added almost as an afterthought, the first genuine grin spreading over the fine features, "And I'm actually a boy, but you can still call me Haku-chan if you really want to."

A moment later he was gone, leaving a very confused and very red Hinata in his wake. The encounter had caught her completely off balance, from start to finish. Haku had come and gone in the span of a few short minutes, and in that time she felt like she had come to know the boy in some intimate way. It was like trying to remember a dream the morning after, just a feeling always out of reach. She shook her head, starting at a brisk jog towards Tazuna's house. If anything the brief interaction had instilled her with some amount of hope; somebody's first impression of her had been _good_. Not only that, but in a way Haku had echoed what Sasuke had told her not twenty minutes earlier. A very small, but very real seed of determination formed inside of her.

_I can._

* * *

/*\

* * *

"Naruto was able to get up and walk for a few minutes," Sasuke reported, sinking onto a chair in Tazuna's small kitchen. It was getting late in the evening, and the rest of the household had retired save for Kakashi. "He's eating on his own again, too; that guy sure recovers fast."

"Mm," Kakashi murmured, eye shifting from his book to the boy. "What did you want to talk about, Sasuke?" The Uchiha gave him a lengthy, even look before continuing calmly.

"I want to know why you have a Sharingan," he asked bluntly, eyes hovering over his teacher's hidden eye. "It's an Uchiha bloodline trait, and I know for a fact that you're not from my clan; only Itachi and I are left." Despite his practiced calm, Sasuke's eyebrow twitched at the mention of his brother's name. Even Kakashi's eye softened and looked back to his book. The boy said nothing else, watching the jounin until he finally sighed, setting the novel down and turning his full attention to Sasuke.

"Do you want the whole story, or only why I have it?" he asked seriously, making the boy think for a moment before responding.

"The whole story; I can already assume how you might have gotten ahold of a Sharingan. I want to know why, and the story behind how." Kakashi studied him for a moment before nodding. Sasuke didn't seem angry, only curious and a bit confused. It was only natural that the last surviving member of the Uchiha – at least, the only one not a missing-nin – would want to know how an outsider came to be in possession of one of the most powerful doujutsu.

"I'm not of the Uchiha clan, you're right. As a matter of fact my body can't handle the stress involved with the extended use of the Sharingan, although I've become more conditioned to it over the years." He paused for a long moment, his eye glazing over slightly. "Shortly after I became a jounin, we were in the midst of the Third Ninja War. I was tasked to lead a team to destroy a bridge that was vital to our enemies' mobility and communication."

"Wait, the Third Ninja War?" Sasuke asked dubiously, raising an eyebrow at Kakashi. "I'm not sure how old you are now, but if I had to guess that would make you a jounin at age . . . Ten? Eleven?"

"Nine," Kakashi responded with a shrug. It was obvious from his posture and expression that he wasn't interested in making a big deal out of it. Sasuke blinked several times, leaning back in his chair with a newfound respect for the man. "Something went wrong on our mission, though, and one of our members was captured. Back then, I . . ." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his eye and suddenly looking older and very tired. "I thought the laws and guidelines of our village were more important than the lives of my comrades. My other teammate, Uchiha Obito, wanted to go rescue Rin, but I chose to complete the mission instead. He disobeyed my commands and left to help our comrade." He was quiet for a long while then, eye still unfocused and bearing a detached expression.

"I thought–" Sasuke began, cut off almost immediately by Kakashi.

"I didn't always believe what I do now. There was a time that I valued a mission objective more than I did the lives of my team and friends." Despite the faraway look, there was a note of regret evident in the man's tone. It was enough to make Sasuke close his mouth and decide not to interrupt further. "But Obito changed my mind in the end. To make a long story short, we fought our way into the cave Rin was being held in, and I lost my eye in the skirmish. One of our enemies brought the cave down on us, and Obito sacrificed his life to save mine." He was quiet for a moment, and after a time his eyes refocused on Sasuke. "In his last moments he imparted his Sharingan to me. Rin transplanted it herself using a special medical ninjutsu, and we were able to escape with the help of our sensei, Namikaze Minato."

"Your teacher was the Yondaime?!" Sasuke blurted out, eyes widening a little.

"Aye, though that was before he became Hokage. At the time, however, he was known as Konoha's Yellow Flash." Kakashi watched his student for a few minutes. Sasuke was mulling the information over, nodding to himself once or twice before readdressing Kakashi.

"Alright. Thanks, Kakashi-sensei." The older ninja nodded, and after a moment's hesitation Sasuke continued. "Do you think . . . Once I awaken my Sharingan that you could help me learn how to use it? I was always told it would come naturally, like an innate ability, but I ah . . ." He trailed off, searching for words that wouldn't entirely give away his intent. "I feel like there's more to the Sharingan than that," he finished a bit lamely, looking away. Kakashi stared at him for a few seconds, wondering what secrets the boy was hiding.

"I can," he ventured tentatively, not wanting to commit fully to the request just yet. "That is, assuming the Sharingan manifests itself in you."

"It will," Sasuke replied firmly, with a fierceness he had not intended. It was one of the few times Kakashi had ever heard that much emotion in the boy's voice. "It has to." Again a considerable time passed as they looked at one another, Sasuke with his determined expression and Kakashi with a calculating look.

"Alright, I'll teach you what I can when the time comes, on one condition." Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "If I tell you I won't teach you something, you don't question me. I expect you to trust I have good reason for it. Understand?" The Uchiha nodded slowly, shrugging noncommittally at the same time. He had little choice if he wanted an experienced Sharingan user as a mentor, and he could cross the forbidden bridge when it came to that.

Sasuke slid into his bedroll a few minutes later, turning over the conversation in his mind. He, Kakashi, and Hinata were sharing a room to give Naruto some peace and quiet to recover, though Hinata would be late coming down from attending to Naruto and Kakashi liked to read into the night sometimes.

_He knows,_ Sasuke thought to himself as he forced his mind to clear and be at ease. _He knows I want to know more about the Mangekyou Sharingan. There's got to be another way to activate it; there has to be._ Naruto's words, spoken after the Uchiha massacre, rang through his head, and he couldn't help but smile faintly. _If it's not possible, it's not possible, but I won't give up on getting stronger no matter what. I'm coming for you. One day, Itachi._

* * *

/*\

* * *

"I _still_ can't leave?" Naruto asked indignantly, looking crestfallen. "It's been four days since we got here! Hinata says my chakra is almost back to normal and all I've done is rest!"

"One more day, just to be safe," Kakashi chided sternly, adding in a cautionary measure a moment later. "Besides, remember what we talked about: Zabuza may still be alive. The way that hunter-nin handled the situation just doesn't sit right with me. We need somebody to stay here and watch Inari and Tsunami. Keep your radio on and call if there's any trouble."

"Yes, sensei," he sighed, slumping back down to sit at the dock's edge. Tazuna's house was on the shoreline, and Naruto had taken to spending the last few days basking in the fresh sea air while working some minor chakra exercises. Against Kakashi's – and Hinata's – wishes, he had also made sure to keep up a physical regimen as well.

"Good. We're going to escort Tazuna to the bridge; Hinata and I will be back soon enough. Let's move out." Kakashi turned then, stepping off of the dock and making his way towards the trees. Tazuna and Sasuke were on his heels, and Hinata followed after a moment lingering and glancing back to Naruto.

"Man, this sucks," the blond muttered after a few minutes of listening to the morning's sounds. Birds chirped overhead and in the trees, planks creaked against the soft breeze, and the surf lapped rhythmically against the sand below. Normally he might find such serenity a welcome escape, but after being put on 'rest duty' for days he was getting restless. Not to mention that Kakashi had informed them of his concerns about Zabuza the day before; could he really be alive? It sounded plausible, the way his teacher had described near-death states and the senbon, but Zabuza had seemed so . . . Well, dead.

Before he could get too wrapped up in thought, Inari – Tazuna's grandson – came out of the house, walking over to take a seat next to Naruto. He kept looking towards the ocean, letting the young boy gather his own thoughts. The previous days had been contentious, to say the least; Tsunami's son had been plagued with doubt, defiance, and petulance, spurning Team Seven from the day they had arrived. He was making some progress, though; it was one of the good things that came from staying at the house.

"Naruto niichan," he started quietly, looking down at his hands. "Yesterday when you said that stuff about Gatoh and, well . . . Do you really think you can beat him?" Naruto looked down at the small boy, his teeth flashing in a broad grin.

"Hell yeah! Tazuna-san said that they'll be done with the bridge soon, and we've beaten everything that jerk has thrown at us. No problem, Inari!" The child stared up at him for a few seconds, tears welling in his eyes before he hurriedly wiped them away with a sleeve. Naruto smiled again and put a hand on Inari's head, ruffling his hair a little. "You're a good kid. Remember what I said about crying, though; you've gotta be strong for your mom. But it's alright to cry when you're happy."

"How'd you learn to be so brave?" Inari asked through a few sniffles, lowering his sleeve to look up at the older boy that he'd come to respect over the last several days. "What if I can't?"

"I had a really good teacher," Naruto laughed. It was true, by and large, though not the whole truth. Inari didn't need to hear the way he had grown up; the kid had already been through enough of his own pain. "And I know you can, Inari. You've got it inside of you, just like everyone. You just need to believe it as much as I do." Inari looked doubtful and a little confused, but Naruto noticed neither as the little radio in his ear buzzed.

"_Naruto!"_ Kakashi's voice called, sounding urgent. The frequency was ridden with static and getting worse, the white noise growing louder by the second. _"—d you at—__"_ The line continued to break up, the last broken words that came through hardly heard over the din of static. _"—buza – nd th – unter nin—__"_There was a loud pop in Naruto's ear and he had to rip the device away before it ruptured his eardrum.

"Inari, I have to go. Take your mom and—"

"I don't think so," drawled a bored-sounding voice. Naruto whirled towards the shore, where two surly-looking thugs stood with their arms folded, each sporting a katana at his hip. "Can't believe we got sent to kill a bitch and some kids," the grey-haired one said, rolling his eyes and casually drawing the blade.

"What's going on out here?" The door to the house opened and Tsunami stepped out, blinking in the sunlight. She gasped and stepped back once, hand raising to her mouth in shock. "Inari, come inside!" The boy looked frightened, his eyes wide, and he stood frozen next to Naruto.

"I'll get her," the other man – sporting an eye-patch – said with a wicked grin, "You kill the ninja kid." He stepped casually towards the doorway, beckoning with one hand as he drew the katana with the other. "Come on pretty girl; we've got plans for you." He licked his lips and advanced on her, the same disturbing smile on his face the whole way.

Before Naruto could stop him Inari had charged forward, shouting in a high-pitched, fearful voice. "Y-you get away from my mom!" He had nothing to defend himself or his mother with, but he ran at the man as fast as he could, fists raised and ready to go down fighting to protect his mother.

Luckily, Naruto didn't quite fit the average description of 'ninja kid'. In a blur of motion he had dashed forward and past Inari, a fist of shuriken flying at the first thug as he rushed the second. They may have talked tough, but they weren't much higher on the ladder than the average mercenary. The grey-haired man cursed, dodging and deflecting the projectiles while Naruto closed on his partner.

"Little shits!" Eye-Patch yelled, bringing his sword down in a strong slash. Naruto deflected it easily with the kunai in his left hand, pivoting and driving a vicious blow into the man's torso. His adversary buckled, and without losing momentum he drove a knee into the thug's nose. The satisfying and sickening crunch of breaking bone and cartilage preceded the _thud_ of the man's limp body striking the wooden porch.

The other man had charged forward after deflecting the shuriken, but faltered as he saw how decisively Naruto had taken out his companion. The blond took advantage of the moment's hesitation and flicked a kunai towards him, forcing the bewildered man to dodge, an action that ultimately harmed more than it helped. Naruto leapt from a sprint, calculating the dodge just before the jump in order to land a spinning round kick into the side of his opponent's head. The second would-be assassin fell heavily to the ground, unconscious before he struck the earth.

"Inari, Tsunami; get these two tied up and then get somewhere safe!" he shouted over his shoulder, already running towards the bridge at a dead sprint. The communication had been broken up, but he had heard enough to put the pieces together. Zabuza was alive, and he was at the bridge with the hunter-nin. Kakashi had been right after all. Naruto ground his teeth and willed himself faster as he bounded into the trees, branches groaning under his feet as he forced more chakra into them.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"Hinata, take the hunter-nin. Sasuke, protect Tazuna and stay close," Kakashi murmured, pulling his forehead protector up to reveal his Sharingan. "I won't lose to Zabuza this time, I promise." His students nodded sharply, already crouched into combat stances as they moved to obey. "This mist is messing with the radios; I'm not sure if Naruto will be able to make it as backup, so don't take any unnecessary risks."

"Haku," Zabuza muttered, too quiet for the others to hear, "Can you take the girl? It looks like she intends to fight, and I'll need my full attention to handle Kakashi."

"I didn't see her combat skills in your last skirmish, Zabuza-san, but you know as well as I that it'd be hard for any of them to keep up with me. Except Kakashi, of course."

"You're no match for him," Zabuza growled, eyeing the jounin that stood calmly ready several meters away. "Keep the runts away while I deal with him. Don't get hit by the girl; she can shut down your tenketsu."

"Yes, sir," Haku whispered, and then he sped forward. The motion stirred the air around him until it was a veritable maelstrom, surrounding him like a personal tornado. He shot towards Hinata with unnatural speed, using the momentum of the spin the drive a senbon towards her unguarded side. But she had been ready.

Hinata had tracked Haku's movements, her Byakugan active and studying her attacker as he drew close. At the last possible instant she bent backwards, the needle flying over her abdomen and missing by less than a centimeter. She caught herself on one hand and used the force of her movement to turn it into a one-handed back handspring, using the other hand to send a kunai flying at the whirlwind. It deflected but managed to steal Haku's balance, forcing him to grind to a halt in a fighting stance.

"I don't want to kill you," Haku said softly, bearing a senbon in each hand, "But I will if you choose to continue. It's impossible for you to keep up with my speed."

"I'm sorry, Haku-san," Hinata all but whispered, real sadness in her eyes, "But will protect my friends with my life, just as you will protect yours." Haku blinked. She had recognized him from the beginning.

"As you wish," he returned, voice growing hard. He rushed forward, clashing with Hinata and forming one-handed seals with his free arm with blinding speed. Almost at the same moment that sparks flew from their weapons he muttered under his breath, "Hijutsu: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death". Hinata didn't even have time to be baffled at the fact that he had used only one hand to form seals. As they met Haku stomped his foot down, splashing standing water into the air around them, but it didn't fall as Hinata expected. Instead it twisted and congealed in the air, freezing and turning into hundreds upon hundreds of tiny needles of ice.

"Shugohakke: Thirty-Two Palms!" Hinata gasped as Haku disengaged to allow his jutsu to do its work. Even as the ice flew towards her Hinata's arms were in motion, her palms aglow as chakra gathered within. From her allies' perspective it seemed that her arms simply turned into a blur beneath an odd, hazy dome of pure energy. It took Sasuke a moment to realize that the haze was just chakra, fired at so many points with pinpoint precision that it created the odd illusion around her.

Unlike the more advanced jutsu she had attempted before, this was one Hinata knew. It was not as fast as the more advanced variation, but it was enough for the task at hand. Ice shattered in every direction, throwing up hundreds of clouds of mist around her. For a moment she was lost amid the chakra haze and clouds of ice, and Haku had turned his attention towards Sasuke. He seemed confident enough in his technique, at least until he was struck by a spinning kick that threw him from his feet with a grunt.

Hinata stood where he had just been, breathing slightly labored but otherwise in one piece. She had a few cuts on her arms and legs, but seemed to have blocked or deflected the majority of the needles. Haku skipped across the ground once before rolling into a crouch. If he hadn't been wearing his ANBU mask, they would have all seen his look of shock. Nobody had ever survived at the center of that technique. He would have understood if she somehow escaped it, perhaps leapt straight up or rolled to the side, however unlikely either of those would have been. But she had stood her ground and come out virtually unscathed.

The Hyuuga girl didn't give him a chance to think it over. She flew towards him in a black and beige blur, and it was all he could do to track her and keep up. The next thirty seconds were maddeningly fast, and before long Hinata had _him_ on the defensive. It was all he could do to dodge and deflect, let alone land a strike. Her strange fighting style was unfamiliar to him, and he was loath to admit it but she was _faster_ than him.

A lightning fast reverse kick finally found Haku's jaw, sending him spinning to land hard on the ground. Hinata set her stance again, and was breathing hard with the strain of keeping up such an assault. But he was in no better shape, especially after that hit.

"Haku, you're going to lose at this rate," Zabuza said calmly, loud enough for everybody to hear. He hadn't moved throughout the encounter, keeping the two in his peripheral vision while keeping a hard eye on Kakashi. It wasn't necessary to make his move yet. "Get serious."

"Yes, Zabuza-san; I will." As Haku straightened, inclining his head in what could only have been a measure of respect towards Hinata. "I apologize," he started quietly, the air around him beginning to visibly shift. "I didn't want to have to use this technique, but I have no choice." The air surrounding him turned so cold that Hinata could see the millions of water molecules surrounding him turn to ice, flowing outward as he lifted his hands and pressed them together in a modified tiger seal. "Hijutsu: Demonic Ice Mirrors."

The air surrounding Hinata suddenly dropped at least twenty degrees from its already frigid temperature. Before she could take a step towards Haku, a piece of ice thrust upward in front of her, coalescing into a giant crystalline panel. She pivoted and tried to move around it, but more identical mirrors had already half-formed all around her. Even before she had time to blink again they had surrounded her, cutting her off behind a blockade of twelve perfectly symmetrical ice mirrors. More floated above those, leaning inward to form a sort of roof, one final piece closing the very top to escape.

Haku moved forward quickly, taking advantage of the moment's confusion. Hinata saw him rush towards one of the mirrors, and then simply melt into it. What should have been solid ice allowed him to flow smoothly in, and then a score of Hakus appeared around her, a perfect image of him reflected on every panel. She couldn't even tell them apart with her Byakugan.

"Hinata!" Kakashi shouted, dashing forward towards the structure. His path was blocked almost immediately by Zabuza, who appeared to be grinning behind the bandages on his face.

"Your fight's with me, Kakashi. That girl's as good as dead anyway, and you can't afford to have me running around unchecked can you?" Kakashi growled and crouched, drawing out his kunai. He'd have to make this quick.

"Sasuke, support Hinata," he called back sharply. Sasuke blinked several times, about to ask why when three of Naruto's clones landed beside him. He barely hesitated before he rushed around the two jounin. Zabuza twitched sideways but Kakashi just appeared in front of him, forcing the missing-nin to block a kunai thrust with his giant blade. "Your fight's with me, Zabuza," Kakashi echoed tightly.

Sasuke made it to the crystals in seconds, skidding to a halt just on the outside. From what he could tell the images were only on the inside, meaning it might be possible to disrupt them from outside. He kicked at one as hard as he could but it barely shook. Several fists of shuriken and a few kunai told him that weapons wouldn't work against it either.

"Katon: Great Fireball!" Fire roared from his mouth and hit the nearest ice mirror. Nothing happened. The flames splashed against the frozen water and dissipated; Sasuke might as well have blown air on them for all the jutsu had accomplished.

"Sasuke, he's too fast," cried Hinata from within the mirrors. She was performing the repelling technique again, but now against what appeared to be hundreds of senbon flying at her from every direction. One or two stuck out from each limb, slowing her movements noticeably and putting her in danger of taking more hits. More still protruded from her torso and back.

Sasuke didn't even realize he was moving until he was halfway to her, sprinting through the gaps in the ice to aid his friend however he could. Fist after fist of shuriken flew out around Hinata, deflecting incoming senbon almost at random. Almost. As his heartbeat quickened time felt like it was slowing down, and he could just make out the weapons as they were coming in. And there was something else, too.

"He's jumping between mirrors," Sasuke growled as he reached Hinata, covering her back and allowing her to focus her defense forward. Of course, 'covering' meant that he was just taking the needles that she might otherwise have to while trying to deflect as many as possible, but at least she was no longer at risk of being hit with her full focus forward. "Whatever this ability does it lets him move faster than we can see between the ice." Sasuke's eyes were wide now, trying desperately to pick up on the movement he knew he could see. It was like a dark spot in his eye that, when focused upon, disappeared from view. No matter how hard he tried to follow the movements he couldn't keep up.

Hinata cried out behind him as a senbon passed through her defenses, burying itself near the collarbone. She faltered and fell to one knee as more deadly projectiles thrashed at her from every side. It was all she could do to simply shield her head with her arms. Even if the accuracy was low, there were enough of them flying around to do serious damage if it went on much longer.

_I have to do something._ Sasuke ground his teeth and stepped nearer to Hinata, covering her as much as he could with his own body. Pain lanced up every limb, across his back and chest, and he could feel blood trickling steadily from gashes and punctures around his neck and face. _ Have to do something. There has to be a way to beat this. If only I could see . . ._

Sasuke blinked. His head had stopped spinning, and the world around him was moving so slow that he could see each individual senbon coming, like a fast punch rather than a speeding projectile. He still had to work quickly, but even with burning muscles he deflected every one with a kunai in each hand. But that wasn't the interesting part. It was still little more than a blur, but he saw Haku now. The boy was leaping from mirror to mirror, needles flying from an ice panel every time he reached it before resurfacing and bounding to the next. The movement was so fluid, so rapid that even with the slowed reality he could barely keep track. But he _could_ keep track.

"Katon: Great Fireball!" he roared, timing it and aiming where he thought Haku would be. The senbon stopped abruptly and Haku was rolling over the ground, flames licking at his left leg. His eyes were wide beneath the mask. It had to have been luck, he reasoned, flinging himself at the nearest mirror and sinking back into it. There was no way the boy caught up to him.

_Calmly, _Sasuke reminded himself, raising his kunai again as the onslaught commenced. Once again he battled the senbon, eyes darting back and forth, tracking the barely traceable movement. He let three more blasts of flame go before another hit caught Haku, though this time it had caught his left shoulder.

"Impossible," he said shakily, limping back into a mirror and breathing hard. His voice echoed around them as he continued, forgoing his needles for a moment. "You shouldn't be able to see me, yet you're tracking my movement close enough to strike me. How—" The image directly in front of Sasuke took a step back. "Those eyes – you really are an Uchiha." Sasuke stared back defiantly, too exhausted to puzzle out the boy's words. If this went on much longer, he'd go down.

"Hinata," he grunted, "We need to get out of here. We need to . . ." He trailed off, going very still as his eyes cast over his friend. She was laying on the ground now, body limp. It didn't look like she was breathing. Sasuke froze for the briefest moment, real terror filling him completely.

"Sasuke, Hinata!" Naruto yelled, sprinting towards the icy prison. He could see Sasuke there, and Hinata was next to him, but she was down. He grit his teeth and cried out again. "I'm coming!" But the moment of fear and hesitation spelled the end for Sasuke. A flood of senbon poured from behind him, and before he had turned halfway to deflect them it was too late. Sasuke staggered back, blinking down at himself. Needles protruded from everywhere, impaling him in several dozen places, some of which looked vital. He turned slowly towards Naruto, their eyes meeting for a moment. Naruto caught a glimpse of crimson irises inlaid with black tomoe. And then Sasuke was falling. Naruto broke through the circle just as his friend hit the ground. "Sasu—"

Naruto stopped in his tracks. Sasuke had fallen, bleeding and riddled with senbon, right next to Hinata. They both lay very still, their faces pale as death itself.

"Sasuke . . ." Naruto rasped, falling to his knees. "Hinata . . . chan . . ." Tears were streaming down his face before he had time to register their coming. His two friends were in front of him, and they were dead. His best friends, the first two to ever recognize him. He would never get the chance to help Sasuke fulfill his dream. He would never be able to confess to Hinata how he felt, even if he didn't know how to put it into words yet. Pain unlike any he had ever experienced coursed through him, agony so deep it made his bones ache. _This can't be happening. It isn't._

"This is the world you live in, ninja." Haku's voice echoed eerily through the otherwise silent chamber. He was taking the moment to breathe and recover some; with only one left, there was no chance he would lose. "We try to protect those we care about, but my desire was stronger this time. I'm sorry." Though his voice was hollow, he did sound sincere. No amount of sincerity mattered to Naruto, however.

"_You . . ."_ Naruto snarled, the words coming out grated and distorted somehow. The ground had begun to shake, and the air within the ring of mirrors started heating up and thickening. _"You killed them,"_ he ground out through a clenched jaw, gums starting to bleed as human teeth elongated and sharpened into fangs. _"I'll kill you."_ Clawed fingers dug into the stone, gouging out rifts in the bridge beneath him. Naruto lifted his head slowly, his face shadowed until it was fully raised to the nearest mirror, blood red eyes seeming to look into every one of Haku's reflections at the same time, murderous intent dancing in both snake-like slits. _"I'LL KILL YOU."_ The otherworldly roar shook the entire bridge, interrupting the fight between Zabuza and Kakashi and forcing all heads to turn towards the circle of ice mirrors.

A column of red-orange chakra erupted from where Naruto had been standing, consuming him in the malevolent haze. The energy burned a hole straight through the topmost mirror, shattering it to pieces moments later. Rivulets of chaotic chakra circled around him, cutting protective swaths around the bodies of his fallen friends. The blast of power forced Zabuza to stumble back, and Kakashi had to brace himself to only slide back a few inches.

_This chakra – the Kyuubi!_ _Naruto!_ Zabuza tsked and rushed in while Kakashi was distracted, forcing him back with a muttered curse.

Inside of Haku's technique, the swirl of energy diminished slowly, settling to form a writhing ring of red around the now crouched Naruto. He looked much as he had years before in the forest with Mizuki, feral and mad with bloodlust. This time, however, the cloak of evil chakra stayed, coating him completely. A tail-like protrusion stuck out from near his tailbone, whipping back and forth restlessly as if it had a mind of its own. But it was the eyes that made Haku take a step back into his mirror. Those scarlet orbs of malice, wrought with the purest hate. They stared into Haku, and they could _see_ him.

_I have to finish this now,_ Haku nearly panicked, trying to shake the paralyzing fear away. But Naruto had already charged, and it was faster than anything he had ever witnessed. The mirror exploded into a thousand shards as a clawed fist crashed through it with enough force to level a mountain. The three adjacent mirrors all cracked and fell to pieces moments after, the shockwaves from the blow enough to do them in. Haku had retreated instantly to another mirror, and Naruto's eyes _followed _him. Almost as he entered the next panel Naruto was there, another fist raised to do the same damage as before. Haku was forced to jump again, but that was exactly what the crazed genin had wanted.

Bones cracked as Naruto's hand closed on Haku's ankle, catching him before he was able to get a meter past the mirror. _Impossible,_ he thought blankly, _That's not possib__— _ Despite his disbelief, the next moment Haku slammed into the ground with another crunch of bone. The ANBU mask cracked down the middle as his head hit the stone, halves falling away to reveal his still untouched face. His leg jerked again and he found himself speeding through the so fast that the air was forced from his lungs. An explosion of agony ripped through him as he was made into a living projectile, smashing through another of his mirrors like it had been made of brittle glass.

Haku's limp, battered body hit the ground and tumbled over and over, rolling to a halt a few meters away from Kakashi. The broken boy struggled to get up using what must have been a broken arm, making small groaning noises with each movement. Kakashi noted that the lower portion of one leg had been crushed, and the rest of the boy looked almost as badly beaten. Only then did he see his student walking towards them, still wreathed in a torrent of the Kyuubi's chakra, projecting a killing intent so pure, so instinctual that it sent a shiver down his spine. The hate was literally palpable; it thickened the air around Naruto, choking those nearby like too much heat in a closed sauna. The boy's eyes were fixed on Haku, his face contorted into a snarl, lips peeled back to bare his fanged teeth at his helpless adversary.

Zabuza moved in front of Haku, stone faced with his sword drawn. A half dozen water clones appeared around Naruto a breath later, all charging and attacking at the same time. They might as well have been gnats. A wave of raw force screamed outward, colliding with the clones and dispersing them into clouds of steam. He kept advancing slowly, ignoring Zabuza as if he wasn't standing between Naruto and his quarry.

"Back off," the jounin growled, readying his sword to defend Haku. Naruto's gaze snapped up to his for a fraction of a second, and for that moment he knew true fear.

Zabuza blinked down at his chest and bloodied hand, his vision abruptly very blurry. It took a few long seconds to notice that a forearm was protruding from where his sternum should have been. He followed it back to a shoulder swathed in heavy black cloth and red light, and finally landed on a familiar face. Naruto stood in front of him, his arm raised _through_ Zabuza's chest. The boy growled, the noise guttural and sounding like it had come from a large and terrifying animal. With a jerk of his arm he flung Zabuza to the side like a ragdoll, the still confused man falling onto his back a few meters away.

Naruto reached down with deliberate slowness, grasping Haku's collar and lifting him effortlessly into the air to dangle helplessly. Despite being ravaged and hardly alive, Haku met his opponent's gaze without flinching and managed a tired smile. A growl escaped Naruto's throat again and he raised a fist, preparing to finish what he had started. He didn't hesitate, but a foreign pressure kept his arm from moving.

"Naruto," Kakashi said quietly from beside him, hand braced against his student's bicep in a vain attempt to hold back the blow. It was like trying to stop an avalanche, but he held on and ground out his words. "Naruto, come to your senses. You don't want to kill him; it isn't you!" He grunted, sliding back a few centimeters from the pressure. His hand was beginning to burn inside of the foreign chakra; there were tendrils of smoke rising from his fingernails and the metal guard on the back of his hand had begun to blacken.

"N-Naruto . . ." The choking gasp caused Naruto to freeze suddenly, the tension against Kakashi halting. He turned his head slowly, eyes traveling back to where the shattered remains of Haku's jutsu lay. Sasuke was kneeling there, supporting Hinata on his shoulder and breathing heavily . . . But he was _alive_. Hinata's chest rose and fell sharply in shallow breaths, but she too lived, if barely.

As immediately as it had come, the raging power vanished. Haku tumbled to the ground again as Naruto released his hold and sprinted towards his friends, eyes already returning to their normal blue. Kakashi was left to stare after him, forgetting himself for a time before he straightened and went quickly to check on Zabuza.

"That kid . . ." the fallen ninja rasped, voice already weak. "He ah . . . Surprised me I . . . I guess." He grunted, more blood spattering the bandages over his mouth. "Hatake Kakashi," he started again, tone heavy with weariness and growing quieter. "Haku . . . He's not like – He's not like me." Zabuza's voice grew urgent, as if he knew that only seconds remained to get out his last words. "He's . . . Kind – Doesn't deserve this." He coughed again, sending his body into violent convulsions for several seconds. When he recovered his eyes had glazed over and his voice had become thready. "P-please . . . Let him . . . Let him . . . Live." A faint noise escaped the man's lips as he exhaled his last breath, a sound that might have been a satisfied sigh.

Kakashi knelt next to the fallen ninja, running his hand over the man's eyes and closing them permanently. "I'll honor your last request, Demon of the Hidden Mist." He rose then, glancing towards Tazuna to make sure he was alright before rushing to his team.

Naruto had them both laying on their backs now, the numerous senbon that would have hindered such a position discarded to the side. He had Hinata's head in his lap and was speaking softly to Sasuke, who seemed conscious despite the obvious pain he was in.

"I'm telling you he missed on purpose," Sasuke said hoarsely, grunting in discomfort. "He could have easily killed us both, but I think he put us in a near-death state, like he did for Zabuza."

"He was trying to complete his mission without killing us . . ." Naruto breathed, fresh tears welling up at the corners of his eyes. As Kakashi approached he couldn't help but notice that the boy looked . . . Normal. As if he hadn't just unleashed an incredible torrent of energy and punched a hole through a man's chest. "Where is he now?" Both Sasuke and Kakashi blinked. Naruto looked from one to the other, then asked defensively, "What?"

"Naruto," Kakashi said quietly, looking down at his student with hard eyes. "Look at your right hand." Still holding on to a quizzical expression Naruto looked down. It was his turn to blink. From mid bicep to his fingertips, his arm had a solid coat of fresh blood. He began trembling uncontrollably and had to set Hinata's head down, standing too quickly and stepping back.

"No way," he breathed, face turning white. "That wasn't real; it didn't really happen. I didn't . . . I didn't kill anybody." Naruto looked towards Kakashi, then to Sasuke, then back again, breathing quickening. "I didn't – I couldn't. I . . . I . . ." His stomach heaved and he lurched to the side. Kakashi was next to him in a heartbeat, steadying him and speaking as gently as he could.

"Naruto, calm down. Take deep breaths." It seemed like a struggle, but after a time his breathing slowed and came back towards control again. "You are a ninja of Konohagakure. Sometimes you must kill to save your comrades lives and complete missions. This is not the time to dwell on it; we need to get Sasuke and Hinata somewhere safe." _And Haku, it seems._

"Right, somewhere safe." Naruto seemed dazed but compliant, following Kakashi back to the others to begin to help transport them elsewhere. His thoughts dulled and he moved mechanically. He was aware of Tazuna and Kakashi around him, of the makeshift stretchers they made. But everything seemed distant, and it remained as such for a long, long time.

* * *

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* * *

The sound of waves striking the shore was a familiar one. It was late – very late – and the others were asleep inside. It had taken most of the day to get the three wounded stable. After multiple donations of blood – supplied mostly by himself, Kakashi, and Tazuna – his friends had finally gotten through the life-threatening blood loss. Haku had undergone multiple surgeries and now lay encased in casts and bandages, all from two blows, or so he had been told.

"Bits and pieces," Naruto said again dully, staring off into the darkness instead of at Kakashi. They had been over what happened countless times and he still couldn't remember most of it. "I saw Sasuke fall down – I remember his Sharingan, for sure – and then I saw them both. They were . . ." His voice broke, and for the umpteenth time since the encounter he had to hold back tears. "They were dead. From there it's choppy. I remember going for Haku; I think I remember throwing him. Next thing I knew I was holding him up ready to – no, _wanting_ to kill him. I wanted it more than anything in the world." He clutched at his stomach, doubling over and trying not to vomit into the water.

"The Kyuubi's chakra," Kakashi sighed, leaning back against the side of the house. "The seal is loosening, it seems, and you can tap into its energy when your emotions run wild. That's what happened last time, isn't it?" Naruto nodded, expressionless. "Naruto I'll say it again, and as many times as I need to until you understand: it wasn't you. It may have looked like you, felt like you, used your voice to talk, but the Naruto I know doesn't enjoy inflicting pain or killing. I know you wouldn't have if you'd been in control."

"But I should be in control," Naruto snapped, snarling at nothing. "It's _my_ body. _I_ should be in control, not the damn fox."

"Then work to control it, I guess," Kakashi shrugged. That finally earned him a look and a few blinks from Naruto. He was about to ask how when Kakashi held up his hands. "I don't know how, Naruto. But if there's a way, I know you'll find it." The boy looked away again, saying nothing. "I'm going to get some sleep; we still have a mission to complete, and we'll need to guard Tazuna again tomorrow." He stood then, moving towards the door where he stopped, glancing back at Naruto. "They're probably waiting for you upstairs; I think they're worried about you, despite their own conditions." With that he was gone, slipping silently into the house.

The evening stretched on as Naruto sat in silence on the dock, thinking on everything over and over as he had done all day. He had _killed_ somebody today. Not from afar with a kunai or even with a jutsu. He had slain them intimately, mercilessly, like it had been part of his daily routine. The thought made him sick. Maybe Kakashi was right, that it had been necessary and the right course of action. Maybe that was true. It didn't make it any easier to bear. And the Kyuubi had taken control of him yet again. He choked back another sob, this one bitter and fueled by anger.

_Kakashi's right. I need to control it. Somehow . . ._

All at once exhaustion hit him. Every muscle felt tight and sore, every bone ached to the core. He rose slowly, swaying on his feet due to a mixture of nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. It felt like a terribly long journey to get through the door and up the stairs. Slipping into the room Sasuke and Hinata were sharing for recovery proved no less difficult, but in a moment he was standing quietly nearby, looking down at them both.

In that moment he realized what Kakashi had been trying to tell him days earlier. More than anything else that had happened that day, more than killing Zabuza or even the Kyuubi, what hurt most was to see his friends' lives threatened. The memory of their still forms rose unbidden and he couldn't help it; he cried. Silent tears shook him for a long while. He finally found his way to his bedroll, placed between the two so that he could be close at hand if either needed him.

Silent tears continued to fall as sleep finally took him. Through his weeping he didn't even notice the small, gentle hand placed upon his arm just before he drifted off. A firmer, yet just as comforting hand rested on his shoulder, helping to guide him towards the peace of sleep.

* * *

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* * *

Morning sunlight warmed the makeshift bedroom gradually, the soft glow finally reaching Naruto's face and making him blink his eyes open slowly. He didn't move for a while, trying to figure out what the pressures on his limbs were. He lifted his head to look, blinking away unbidden tears as he spotted Hinata's hand resting lightly on his left arm, Sasuke's on his opposite shoulder. They were breathing deeply, likely still fast asleep after their trials the day before. Naruto carefully moved each of their hands, placing them gently back to rest on their stomachs. Only, Hinata didn't let go once he took her hand. He smiled faintly, propping himself up against the wall with a few pillows and closing his eyes, Hinata's hand held in his lap between his own.

He stayed like that for over an hour, thinking and meditating. It took him a long time to work up to it, but he finally opened his eyes again. Instead of the room he was sitting in, however, he was staring up at the Kyuubi's seal. The giant gate was there, still locked with the paper seal at its center. No cracks or noticeable weaknesses had appeared. Naruto frowned, looking hard into the darkness beyond the massive metal bars.

"Kyuubi," he said finally, voice hard and loud. A low rumbling filled the air, accompanied by the sound of gargantuan claws scraping on a stone surface.

"_**Ah, mortal. To what do I owe the pleasure?"**_the fox sneered, luminous eyes opening slowly. _**"I enjoyed that little display of yours last night, though it's too bad you didn't get to finish the boy off."**_

"Shut up," Naruto said flatly. He had spent over an hour mentally preparing for this, and he wouldn't allow the demon to get the better of him. "I came to talk. Come closer." He steeled himself then, waiting, as the eyes narrowed. Ripples played out from under the gate as the sounds of shifting weight filled the room, the scale of which was lost in the blackness beyond. A face slowly came into view, though rather than it moving towards Naruto the dull light of the room simply seemed to extend into the cage.

The Kyuubi was truly massive. Naruto could only see its face now, but even that was enough to send a spike of fear unbidden down his spine. Its head was roughly the size of the Hokage's tower, with orange fur coating it in every place there wasn't something menacing. For all intents and purposes it was a fox's face, but elongated and set in a permanent snarl, with pointed ears that he could have mistaken for horns disappearing into the darkness behind. Fangs lined the Kyuubi's mouth, each longer than a grown man and pearly white, gleaming dangerously in the dimness. Even when illuminated, its malevolent red eyes gave off a light of their own, flashing in the light.

"_**Satisfied?"**_ the demon asked mildly, voice still loud enough to rattle Naruto's ribcage.

"Good enough." Naruto had taken the sight in stride, trying his best to not show any of the fear that threatened to shake his will. "I want to know how I can control your chakra," he asked bluntly, staring defiantly at the beast. "I don't want to lose control again." The Kyuubi stared at him, expressionless for a long moment, then barked out a harsh laugh that reverberated several times through the chamber. The action looked strange coming from such a creature, though no more so than it speaking.

"_**Control? You think you can control my power?"**_ Its tone was openly mocking, and the snarl suddenly looked like a sneer.

"No," he responded patiently, folding his arms. "But I think you can help me control _when_ and _how_ it comes on instead of just letting it flow out like crazy when I get worked up." He waited for a moment, possibly for a sign from the demon, but none came. "Look, you're the one who has the 'vested interest' or whatever in keeping me alive. If you showed me how to do that much I'm sure I'd be better off."

"_**Kid, you're a fool," **_the Kyuubi growled, _**"My chakra is already keeping you alive. Whenever you're in dire straits it comes out against my will; you can't tell me you'd have been better off against Mizuki without it, or against Haku."**_

"You're not wrong," Naruto agreed, sighing in the same breath and scratching at the back of his neck. "But that's not how I want to use your chakra. Look couldn't we work together or something? You show me how to just _use_ your chakra to help me, and you get a little more freedom out of it." If a giant fox demon could look suspicious, the Kyuubi's expression was as close to it as possible.

"_**Freedom, right," **_the demon laughed, a hulking _something _thrashing into view for the briefest moment. _**"You and I both know that I'm not getting out of here, so don't even think—**__**"**_

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to let you out?" Naruto interrupted, a fairly impressive feat considering his voice was about a sixty decibels lower. "No, but I can see if I can figure out how to change or even loosen the seal. I bet it gets real boring down here by yourself; maybe I'd let you hang out in my head or something. Well, outside, sort of; I mean consciously. You know what I mean," he finished, glowering at nothing. It was about a minute before the Kyuubi responded, rumbling through a low chuckle first.

"_**You've got guts, kid, I'll give you that.**_" Bright eyes flashed, in recognition, and then the Kyuubi nodded. _**"I'll think about it. Figure the seal issue out first; your offer means little to me if you can't even follow through with it."**_

"Alright, fair enough," Naruto agreed, turning to leave the chamber. Not that there was a door to leave by, but it was the principal of the action. "By the way, it wouldn't kill you to be a little nicer." He smirked slightly, a bit of immature glee showing through at having the last word, before he dismissed the scene by concentrating hard. The last thing he heard was a low growl before he again opened his eyes, revealing the room as it had been before. Nothing had changed, and judging by the light coming through the window it seemed like his conversation with the Kyuubi had only lasted a few seconds at most.

"Mmm, Naruto-kun . . ." He blinked and looked down, his eyes falling on Hinata's still slumbering form. She was muttering softly to herself, likely a result of a dream. "We're not supposed to go outside yet . . ." She trailed off, making cute sleepy noises for a time before resettling, pulling Naruto's hand to her and snuggling with it. Even though he knew she couldn't see him, and that she had no idea what she was doing, Naruto still blushed furiously. He let her keep his hand, though, waiting patiently for her to rouse and give it back.

A few minutes later Hinata blinked her eyes open slowly, wincing slightly as she shifted under the bedroll. Something warm was pressed against her cheek, and for a second she thought it was her own hand until she identified its source. The poor girl froze, eyes widening as they focused on Naruto's profile above her, color flooded to her cheeks.

"Morning, Hinata-chan," Naruto said gently with a sheepish grin, "I hope you slept well." Judging by the intense amount of heat now radiating from her cheek, he suspected she had mostly recovered overnight.

"N-Naruto-kun," she stuttered, sitting up quickly and releasing his hand in a moment of panic. A wash of dizziness hit her and she wavered, teetering away before Naruto caught her. A moment later her head was down again, propped up a little with an extra pillow. His hand was in hers again, though she didn't remember how it got there.

"Hey, don't try to sit up yet; you lost a lot of blood, remember?" She nodded carefully, wincing and closing her eyes for a moment as the flush began to fade away.

"What happened after I . . . After I went unconscious yesterday?" she asked hesitantly, eyes still closed. Naruto tensed next to her and squeezed her hand tightly, causing her to blink her eyelids open and glance up at him. He was looking off towards the wall, his expression unreadable. "Naruto-kun, what . . ." Hinata trailed as he grimaced.

"I'll tell you soon," he said gruffly, glancing down at their still sleeping companion. "I want Sasuke to be awake first; I owe you both an explanation."

"Kinda hard to sleep with you two yapping like that," Sasuke mumbled, keeping his eyes closed. "You're supposed to let injured people sleep, jerk." Naruto couldn't help but grin as his friend carefully sat up, slow enough to not cause the spell of dizziness Hinata had experienced. Naruto helped him set a few pillows against the wall and get comfortable before he leaned back again, his features becoming a bit strained.

"Sorry, but . . . I have something I need to tell you both." Hinata bit her lip but nodded, squeezing his hand gently. Sasuke nodded, choosing to stare at the far wall.

And so Naruto told them everything, from the very beginning. It was hard, and his voice started out tight and a bit husky. But soon his tone turned tired, calmer, as if the act of sharing the story somehow offered relief. He told them about Mizuki, how he had learned from the man what lived inside of him, the reason the village despised him. He told his friends about the times he had been possessed by the malevolent chakra, how it felt, and the bits he could remember from it. He told them about his three encounters with the Kyuubi thus far, in the recesses of his own mind.

And then he told them what happened at the bridge after they had both fallen into a near-death state. Most of it was put together in bits and pieces, from what Kakashi had told him about Haku's wounds and the flashes he could remember. He told them about how he had killed Zabuza without batting an eyelash, and about how he had intended to murder Haku, and would have if Sasuke hadn't called to him. By the time he had finished he was looking down at his lap, his words getting thick and a little choked near the end.

"Back then . . . I didn't tell you because I thought you might look at me differently, that maybe you'd treat me different too. I didn't choose to be like this, and I didn't mean to let that power loose or kill anybody." Tears welled up as he came to his conclusion but he held them back, swallowing once or twice. "But you two are my best friends; you deserved to know about me, about how dangerous I can be. It wasn't fair to keep it a secret." He sat there then, silent, staring at the one hand still in his lap before he realized that his other was being virtually crushed between both of Hinata's. His friends had been silent through the whole explanation, hanging on every word in their own way. Sasuke still stared blankly at the far wall.

"Ano, Naruto-kun?" Hinata began finally, looking up at him intently. "Mizuki said – and you've said, too – that the Kyuubi is sealed inside of you, right? That the Yondaime did it?" Naruto nodded, averting his gaze from her. "Then you should know that what Mizuki told you – what the villagers think of you – is wrong!" The fervor with which she spoke caused both of the boys to blink at her, surprised at the passion that she had expressed in her statement. Hinata let out a small squeak and looked down again, flushing and speaking quieter again. "I-I mean, you're not a demon. You're his keeper, in a way, right?"

"Man you can be thick sometimes," Sasuke sighed, stretching with only a slight wince. "You think just because you've got a demon fox prisoner inside you that it makes you a bad person or something?" He smirked and shook his head, punching Naruto's arm weakly. "You're the most optimistic, annoyingly cheery person I know. You've got a better chance of making the Kyuubi into a pet kitten than he has of making you into a demon puppet."

"We both know you wouldn't kill unless you absolutely had to," Hinata began again with another hand squeeze. "You're you, and no one else. We're not going anywhere, so we'll be here to remind you." She smiled then, a rare display of confidence, devotion, and warmth from the otherwise timid girl. Naruto found himself infected by it, warmed and soothed by her words. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. They sat like that for a time, taking in the comfort of one another's company.

Kakashi popped in a while later to check on them, ignoring their protests and insisting they all rest for the day; he would escort Tazuna himself. They spent the remainder of the day relaxing, talking, laughing, and living.

* * *

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* * *

The next few days passed by quickly. Hinata and Sasuke were back on their feet on their first morning awake, but Kakashi – and Naruto, for that matter – wouldn't let them leave the house for another full day. They sulked a bit, but complied after Naruto reminded them how they had both insisted he recover fully a few days before.

They left Wave Country after the bridge's completion a few days later, sent off by quite the crowd. It seemed Inari and Tsunami had gone around the town and rallied the villagers against Gatoh, together ousting his gangs and thugs. Rumor had it that they had even cornered Gatoh himself and run him off a bridge, but nobody would confirm the truth in it. Somebody – Inari and Tazuna, Naruto expected – had led the citizens to believe that Team Seven had been heroes, and they had decided to name the new causeway 'Bridge Seven' in their honor.

It was afternoon of their second day traveling, and the walls of Konoha loomed in the distance. Kakashi led the way, his three genin following behind. They had kept a purposefully slow pace, partly to continue recovery and partly due to not having a scheduled return date. Leave it to Kakashi to take the lazy route.

Naruto walked between his friends, silent for a time. Conversation had kept up through most of the trip, though they had all fallen silent as their village came into view. Silently he reached down and took Hinata's hand, still looking towards the high walls. He smirked and extended his other hand towards Sasuke, who glanced at it, rolled his eyes, and slapped his palm into contact with Naruto's. They walked like that, hand-in-hand, all with their own unique expression of relief and joy.

Kakashi glanced back at them furtively, smiling to himself beneath his mask before turning his attention forward once again. They had grown in the last two weeks, more than he could have hoped. The mission had brought them closer as friends, honed their skills even further, built confidence and trust, and many other things. It had also caused heartbreak, tragedy, and pain, but they had taken those and worked through them together, as a team.

_If this keeps up, people might start thinking I'm not lazy and might be a good mentor after all. Can't have that,_ he joked to himself, glancing to his left and raising an eyebrow. "You sure you want to come back with us? I told you I wouldn't put you in my report to the Hokage. You'll be subjected to interrogation and possible imprisonment."

"I'm sure," Haku said softly, limping along every other step with the assistance of his crutches. "Zabuza-san is dead, and I owe Naruto-kun my life. If I offer your village my services as a ninja, perhaps I can be useful again." He was quiet then, glancing to the trio behind with a sad smile. In that instant he looked young, like the boy he was, not the tool for assassination he had been trained as.

"I'll do what I can to help you; I promised Zabuza I would." That wasn't entirely true, but Zabuza had been right about Haku. The boy was kind to a fault, deeply empathetic and innocent. It was a shame he had been mistreated for most of his life, even if he hadn't seen it that way. Haku nodded and said nothing more, continuing slowly towards Konoha and an unknown fate.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Well then. I thought this chapter might be 9-12k words by the time I was finished. Boy was I wrong.

Thank you Rhi, for reading through this entire thing and correcting my mistakes and helping me with content etc. Not many people have the fortitude or will to read through so much – multiple times, mind you – and not want to throw a fork at my head, let alone fix all of my little mistakes.

I appreciate the follows and favorites as always, as well as the reviews I've received since the last chapter. As always, I invite constructive criticism of any kind, either in review form or as a private message. It may be a little longer before my next update; this chapter took a lot out of me and I'll need some mental rest time.

Oh, I also started cross-posting this to Ao3 (Archive of Our Own) at my beta's suggestion. Just wanted to put a note here so nobody on either end thinks somebody's stealing work. :O

Thanks again, and I'll see you next time!


	8. Friendship

**Chapter 8 – Friendship**

"That has to be considered cheating," Naruto laughed, accepting Sasuke's offered hand and rising from the ground. It was the third time during their sparring match that he'd been knocked down, something he was far from used to. Since they had returned from Wave Country Sasuke had been able to beat him consistently.

"Hey, I can't help it if my Sharingan gives me an advantage. Besides, I can hardly keep up with you without it." Sasuke was grinning. He had been expressing more emotion lately, ever since his bloodline had activated at the bridge. His red eyes shimmered in the early morning sunlight as he settled into a ready stance again. Naruto rolled his eyes, though he was still smiling. It was nice to see his friend's mood elevated again; it had been too long.

"Yeah yeah, I know. It's good practice anyway." Naruto resettled into his own stance, expression smoothing to one of calm and focus. For a moment they merely stood there, working out each other's defenses. Sasuke was the first to move, a blur of motion that his adversary had trouble keeping up with. For a full minute they traded blows, striking faster with every passing second until their sole onlooker had trouble keeping up. But Hinata still held the title of 'fastest' when it came to their little group, and she had only to narrow her eyes and concentrate to keep track of their movements.

Thirty seconds later Sasuke and Naruto stood panting in front of one another, each with a smirk on his face. Sasuke's right fist was settled directly in front of his friend's nose, while Naruto's hand was open in a Y-strike an equal distance from the Uchiha's throat. It had been a tie.

"Man, I thought I had you," Naruto sighed, lowering his hand as Sasuke did the same. "It's like you can see what I'm about to do before I do it. I still don't get how that works." Sasuke shrugged, stepping back and stretching upwards.

"I told you, it just lets me see things better, more clearly. For example, I know what you're saying just by looking at your mouth moving." Naruto blinked, then mouthed something at his friend. "Very funny," Sasuke said dryly, though it made the blond boy grin. "I don't think I've gotten stronger, technically, but my reflexes are quicker because I can see subtle movements clearer. Get it?" Naruto thought about that for a second and nodded slowly.

"Alright, that makes more sense. That's really cool!" Sasuke shrugged. "But uh . . . Why is there one tomoe in your left eye, but two in your right? You said three was the most, right?"

"Yeah, three is the most, and I think my right eye can see more than my left." As if to test it, he closed one eye at a time, glancing around with each before turning back to Naruto and blinking both open. "I can't tell much of a difference just standing around, but things do look a little sharper with my right eye. I know the Sharingan has a lot of abilities, some that a lot of people don't know about."

"Like what?" Hinata asked as they approached and took a seat in the grass on either side of her. Naruto sat with his legs out, propped up by his hands, one of which rested a few centimeters from her own. A bit of heat rose in her chest and she tried to ignore it.

"Well, I heard when I was younger that a fully matured Sharingan can put someone into a kind of hypnosis. It's not mind control so much as it is suggestion." His friends turned to stare at him at that mention, and he shrugged again. "But both eyes have to have three tomoe, I think. I can already memorize hand signs I know. I can see chakra kind of like how Hinata can, and I can even copy some techniques like Kakashi. There are some advanced uses that combine a few abilities of the Sharingan at once, but I'm nowhere near there yet."

Naruto sighed and fell back, lacing his fingers behind his head as he reclined in the grass. "Still, that's so cool. You two have such neat doujutsu." Hinata turned a little pink at the comment, though couldn't keep the bit of worry from her eyes. She had been concerned lately that Naruto might get down on himself for not having a bloodline ability like she or Sasuke did. He seemed to take training even more seriously than normal since Sasuke had begun beating him in sparring more often. "Heh, guess that means I have to train harder to keep up with you two!" Naruto's broad grin made her feel foolish for even thinking that he might be discouraged. He never gave up.

"Your turn, Hinata," Sasuke said with a spurious grimace. "If I'm going to fully utilize my new eyes I'll need you to help me increase my speed. Maybe I'll be able to land more than one hit this time." He pushed himself back up and strode back out into center of the small clearing, turning to face Hinata. She smiled a little, turning a bit pink at his veiled compliment before rising smoothly and pacing forward. The veins in around her eyes stretched and stood out against her skin as she activated the Byakugan. Naruto sat back up to observe, watching intently as they readied themselves and began.

Hinata was _fast_. Her strikes didn't carry nearly the same power that her friends' did, but they came like lightning and were just as dangerous in their own right. Even with Sasuke's heightened reflexes and perception he couldn't counter every hit, though it was close. Several times he came close to striking his own blows but was met with either air or a deft block. The hardest part about sparring with Hinata was that he simply couldn't block her attacks for fear of one of his tenketsu being closed in the process. They had both encouraged her to use jyuken against them in order to get a feel for the style, and she had improved over the years.

A few minutes later Sasuke dropped to one knee, clutching his shoulder and wincing. "Well, I did get you twice," he panted, grinning despite the fact that he had clearly lost. "You mind healing a little? I think you bruised my collar bone and one of my ribs." Hinata winced and nodded. They always told her not to feel bad for injuring them; her fighting style required her to force chakra into her opponent's body in order to affect their tenketsu. She was able to target points near organs to damage them as well, but even when she sparred using jyuken Hinata did her best to avoid any areas that would cause lasting harm.

"I'm gonna need to do something to keep up with you two," Naruto sighed, approaching to watch as Hinata placed her hands over the areas she had damaged. A soft green glow pulsed from her palms, seeming to flow into under Sasuke's clothes to seem into his skin. In moments she was finished, stepping back with an apologetic duck of her head. Naruto grinned again. "You really are awesome, Hinata-chan." Her lips parted as if she was about to say something in response, but instead she just turned a vibrant shade of red and kept looking down, fidgeting with the hem of her coat.

"Alright you two," Sasuke groaned as he stood back up, rotating his shoulder to make sure it was fully functional. "I'm going to go clean up before we have to meet Kakashi-sensei. I'll see you at nine." He waved absently and turned, the scarlet of his irises fading back to their usual black. Naruto stood looking after him for a moment, seemingly lost in thought until Hinata's voice brought him back.

"Ano, Naruto-kun?" she asked hesitantly, cheeks still fairly pink. "Do you really think I'm . . . 'Awesome'?" Naruto blinked at her, tilting his head to the side and looking a little confused. It had taken a measure of self-control not to laugh; hearing Hinata say 'awesome' was foreign enough to at least earn a chuckle. He resisted, though; Iruka – and Kakashi now, though on much rarer occasions – always told him to think carefully in conversation. Iruka had made it a point to discuss Hinata, too.

"Yeah, I do," he responded slowly a moment later, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I think it's incredible that you're so fast, and you know some really impressive techniques too. Not only that but you picked up that healing jutsu so well. And, well." Hinata blinked, the blush creeping over her features momentarily halting. Naruto was . . . Embarrassed? The boy had averted his gaze and was shifting his weight subconsciously, as if uncomfortable all of a sudden. "And you're always thinking about us instead of yourself; you're a really nice person." By the time he had finished speaking her flush had returned in full force. A ripe cherry would have been jealous of Hinata's complexion.

"I-I . . ." She hadn't planned much further than asking his opinion. It wasn't that she doubted Naruto's word; she trusted him implicitly. The facts simply didn't add up. The way she saw herself and the way he saw her were just too different. If he was being honest . . . _He just doesn't really know me._ But _that_ didn't make sense either. Apart from being friends for half of a decade, she had been living with him and Iruka for nearly six months now. They were almost like siblings at home, she often told herself, so it wasn't like Naruto hadn't been around her a lot. If anybody outside of her family knew her, it would be Naruto.

"Er, Hinata-chan?" he asked, waving a hand in front of her eyes cautiously. "Are you okay? I didn't say something wrong, did I?"

"N-no, I'm fine!" she stuttered, cursing herself for doing so a breath later. "I'm sorry, just . . . Thank you, Naruto-kun." Her expression didn't quite match her words. Rather than getting flustered and awkward Hinata seemed even more reserved than usual, bordering on somber. _He's probably just trying to be nice._ That was an explanation she could accept.

"Uh, sure. You don't have anything to be sorry for, though," he insisted, sure now he'd done something to upset his friend. Hinata smiled weakly and shook her head. He frowned, but didn't say anything else for fear of making it worse. They made their way back home in an uncomfortable silence, Naruto awkward and worried while Hinata lost herself in thought. He glanced over at her several times on the way back, though she didn't seem to take notice. "Hey," he said finally as Iruka's apartment came into view. She looked towards him and he flushed slightly, reaching his hand out before he lost the nerve. His fingers closed around her hand and he squeezed gently. "I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings; I was just being honest. You're a good person, and I just wanted you to know that I know. Or . . . Something like that." He laughed and rubbed at the back of his neck, an action she was now able to recognize as one of embarrassment.

Hinata stopped. She stood staring at him from a step behind, her hand hanging forward still attached to his. He had taken an extra step and was looking back, more concern rising in his features. Her own expression started as blank, evolving into one of disbelief, until she finally bit her trembling lip and nodded slowly. Naruto nearly apologized for his awkward apology, but then she smiled; it was a real one this time. It may have been small, but it had the effect her smiles always did: he instantly felt warmer inside.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," she said after a few seconds, returning a tentative squeeze of her own. This time the words were sincere, and Naruto grinned back. A very small but very real light flickered to life deep inside of her. Dark thoughts of doubt and inadequacy rushed to smother it, threatening the budding spark before it even had a chance to grow. But it held, steadfast and patient, burning away every plaguing apprehension and insecurity that came near.

Naruto tugged lightly and got her moving again, and they went up together. He might never realize what he had done, but she did, and would never forget it.

* * *

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* * *

"Iruka-sensei, we're heading out," Naruto called into the kitchen as he reached for the door. "Do you need us to get anything on the way home today?" The sound of tableware being set down preceded Iruka's head popping around the corner.

"No I think we're set for another day or two; thank you, though. Where do I need to meet you again?"

"Yakiniku Q! We never got to celebrate our mission's success, and we get to treat!" Naruto bubbled with excitement at the notion of treating somebody else to a nice meal. Upon their return to Konoha and Kakashi's mission report, the Sandaime had upgraded the mission to B-rank and made up the difference using the village's own coffers. Not only that, but Kakashi had claimed the bounties on Zabuza and the Demon Brothers from the Hidden Mist. He had initially split it evenly among Team Seven, though after _their_ insistence he had taken a larger share. Still, the ryo each of the genin had received was considerable. This was especially true for Naruto, who had been living on a meager stipend until Iruka had taken him in.

"Alright, alright," Iruka sighed, though he was smiling as he disappeared back into the kitchen. "I'll see you there at six." The sounds of running water and clattering dishes started up again. Naruto glanced back at Hinata, who had been waiting just behind him. He gave her one of his signature grins, prompting a light blush but a small smile of her own, before reaching for the door.

It took them only a few minutes to arrive at their meeting place, a wooden bridge on the west side of the village. Sasuke was already there, leaning against the railing and looking pensive, and even a little surly. As his friends approached he glanced aside, nodding at them before returning his gaze to the water.

"What's wrong, Sasuke?" Hinata asked as they joined him, worry already creasing her brow. He glanced at her with a wry smirk and shook his head. She could always tell when something was amiss.

"I was just thinking about Haku. It's been a week since we got back and he hasn't been released yet." Naruto scowled at the water, and after a glance at him Hinata's worried expression softened.

"Naruto-kun, we know Haku let us live on purpose . . . And Kakashi-sensei thinks he's a nice person." Naruto shrugged at her words, but his expression softened a little. She didn't like seeing him upset, but they had discussed it several times since returning to Konoha. Naruto had even agreed that Haku had been acting as justly as he could have given the situation.

"I know," he sighed, running a hand through his spiky yellow hair; it bounced back into place the moment his hand passed over. "It's just . . . It's still hard to consider him a good guy after that. And I sorta . . . Well I almost killed him, too." They were all silent at that. Hinata and Sasuke had been in a near-death state then, but from what Naruto had reported – and Haku's injuries – they knew it wasn't an exaggeration.

"I would have done the same in your position," Sasuke said quietly, not looking away from the stream. Naruto glanced at him and considered for a moment, then nodded slowly. They stood staring at the rippling waters for a time, a comfortable silence broken only by the gentle sounds of the river below.

"Yo, sorry I'm late," Kakashi said from behind them a few minutes later, "I was on my way here when–"

"When an old lady needed help crossing the entire town?" Naruto suggested, turning on the jounin with a smirk.

"When you had to save some children from a rockslide?" Sasuke offered, giving Kakashi a level look.

"When the Hokage needed you for an urgent meeting?" Hinata put in, though she flushed and looked down immediately.

Kakashi blinked at them, then spread his hands in a placating manner. "Alright, alright, you win." He seemed to be grinning behind the mask. "Ready for more missions today?"

"Actually," Naruto began, earning him a glance from all parties. "I was wondering if you learned anything else about Haku recently." Sasuke looked back to their teacher, though not before offering his friend an appreciative glance. Hinata, too, turned to Kakashi expectantly. The man looked at them all before sighing, leaning back against the opposite railing and folding his arms.

"They finished interrogating and extracting information from him two days ago. Since then he's been awaiting judgment from the higher-ups, but the order just came down this morning. Haku is going to be executed at midnight." Kakashi's tone was flat as he delivered the news, betraying no emotion on what few features could be seen.

"Executed?" Sasuke blurted out, genuine disbelief written all over his face. "That's ridiculous; he could easily have killed Hinata and I, but he let us live on purpose!"

"He is a dangerous ninja who, despite that fact, was working with a strong missing-nin of the Hidden Mist. He may not have killed you, but he's killed others." He looked seriously at each of them in turn, noting their distraught – and in Sasuke's case, outright angry – expressions. "I did what I could in his defense, but the word of one jounin isn't enough. I know it doesn't seem fair to you, but that's how things have to be sometimes."

"No they don't," Naruto said with no small amount of conviction. "Haku may not be an ally yet, but he's not a bad person. He did those things because he cared about Zabuza. It may have been wrong, but he would have done anything Zabuza asked because he was the only one that recognized Haku." Kakashi could feel the passion in the boy's voice, and realized halfway through that Naruto was speaking from experience. "He just made the wrong friend," he concluded after a moment's pause, looking to the side at Sasuke and Hinata. "I'm sure if he made real friends he'd be fine, right?"

"Definitely," Sasuke insisted, staring hard at Kakashi. At some point his Sharingan had activated, the crimson in his eyes making the look that much more intense.

"I think so, too," Hinata agreed meekly. While the girl seemed less fervent than her comrades she was no less committed. They all understood in their own way how Haku might feel. He was alone now, as they all had been at one time or another. They wanted him to be given another chance, a chance that everybody deserved.

"I . . . Don't disagree," Kakashi sighed, scratching at his neck distractedly. "I just don't see what can be done for him, unless somebody was foolish enough to barge into the execution and defend him. But I can't think of anybody who would do something like that." He shrugged in mock helplessness, and then smiled approvingly as realization spread across his students' faces. "The Hokage's tower, basement level. Take the stairs on the right as you enter the building; turn right when you get down there, and it's the last door on your left. But I didn't tell you so," he cautioned with a wave of his finger. They all nodded quickly, their expressions determined now. "Alright then. We're still doing a mission today, so let's get moving."

"Just one?" Naruto asked as Kakashi turned towards town.

"Well I figured you three need a break today," he said calmly. "I'm sure you can look after yourselves for an afternoon. Maybe train or – I don't know – come up with more formations and strategies." He shrugged and vanished in a plume of white smoke, though not before they noticed the exaggerated wink.

They stood there for a moment, all looking at where Kakashi had disappeared from. Without a word they set off at the same time, as if of one mind, dashing towards the Hokage's tower to receive their mission.

* * *

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* * *

The mission was a simple one, even as D-rank tasks went: they had been assigned to do an elderly couple's shopping. As usual Kakashi set himself up in a tree, keeping his radio on for the unlikely event that they might need him. To get everything done as fast as possible, they each took a different part of the list and split up. Sasuke opted to gather the requested fabrics and clothing, Hinata chose to get groceries from the market, and Naruto went to pick up the various household supplies.

As much as he had looked forward coming back to Konoha, Naruto hadn't been excited to be walking the streets of the village again. Most of his time was purposefully spent training, staying at home, or otherwise occupying himself away from the populace. Every venture into the heart of the village reminded him of the citizens' attitude towards him.

An outraged "Watch it, brat!" or similar – though generally less savory – remark was common, even when he was nowhere near the offended party. A handful of times he overheard the purposefully loud whisper of "demon boy" or "damned pariah". Naruto clenched his teeth and ignored them. The hitai-ate on his forehead meant little to them; all they saw was what they wanted to see. It didn't matter that he was performing important duties for the village.

By the time he had finished collecting the supplies Naruto's patience was running thin. On top of his mission and the people that seemed to purposefully get in his way, he was still concerned with Haku and how they were going to help him. Lost in thought, he didn't notice the foot extended from a nearby group of people until he was falling forward. He was forced to let the bags he had been holding fall to either side, catching himself just before hitting the ground and rebounding back up with a single downward thrust of his palms.

"Stealing now, are we?" a sneering voice asked from behind him. "I always knew you were a delinquent but I didn't think you were a criminal." Naruto turned to face the speaker, taking in measured breaths and keeping his expression neutral. The man was tall and gaunt, and was flanked by two burlier men of average height who carried just enough muscle to look threatening.

"I'm not stealing; I'm on a mission," Naruto responded coolly, retrieving his dropped bags one at a time.

"Doing some shopping for the village, huh? I guess they couldn't trust you with anything important, not that you can blame them." The man laughed to himself, glancing over his shoulder to make sure his cronies had begun to chuckle as well. "I heard you almost died on your mission to the Wave Country. You're lucky your jounin was there to save you. It's a pity."

"You must have missed the part where I killed a missing-nin," Naruto shot back, a little harsher than he had intended. The three men blinked before the leader scoffed.

"Right, _you_ killed a missing-nin. What was he, an E-rank missing-nin from the Hidden Village of Pushovers?" Again he turned to make sure his jibe had been 'appreciated'. "Face it kid, you're an unwanted deadbeat. You probably only made genin because the Hokage's got a soft spot for you." This was going about as expected. The common tactic of 'try to bait Naruto into a fight' was an old one, and in normal circumstances it wouldn't have fazed him. Unfortunately this wasn't a normal circumstance. With the comments throughout his errands and Haku's impending execution on his mind, Naruto was worn thinner than usual.

"I know you're trying to get me to throw the first punch," Naruto responded after lifting the last bag into one hand, "But it's not going to happen. Tell you what, how about you go first so that everybody else around can witness it, then report that I did it anyway." He had raised his voice loud enough to be heard by those nearby, several of them turning to watch the scene fully now. Most were glaring at Naruto as if he was the cause of the commotion, though the few that had cared to note his words looked back and forth between the boy and his aggressors as if unable to decide who was at fault. The tall thug dropped the fake smile he had been holding and glared openly.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" he said quietly, making sure only Naruto heard. "Trying to get some pity from the villagers? Good luck, because nobody gives a damn about you." He waited, perhaps for an excuse to jump into action. Naruto merely met his gaze, the corner of his lip twitching upward in the smallest of smirks. The man sighed dramatically after a moment, turning to address his thugs but truly announcing to all those around. "Guys, take those stolen goods back from the kid so that we can return them." The two flunkies nodded and grinned, stepping forward.

Naruto stood fast as they approached, staying relaxed and looking as nonchalant as he could manage. He waited until just as they were reaching towards him before he made his move. His fingers unclenched, allowing the bags to fall towards the ground once more. What happened next wasn't particularly exciting to watch, largely because it happened too fast for most of the crowd to see. One moment Naruto was standing still, and the next he was also standing still. The two men, however, were on their backs, one clutching at his stomach while the other tried to simultaneously hold his right shin and left side. Both of their faces were twisted in pain, though neither seemed seriously injured. There were a few gasps from the onlookers, accompanied by rapid whispering.

The remaining man's expression changed from overt smugness to outrage in the instant it had taken his lackeys to fall. With a strangled shout he charged forward, a curved knife appearing in his hand. Naruto didn't even blink. He went slower with this one, making sure those around them saw the knife being thrust towards his chest before he caught the man's wrist. The dagger fell from the attacker's hand as Naruto twisted his wrist and, using the bigger man's weight and momentum, pivoted and flung him hard. He landed with a satisfying thud several meters away, and the three men were left groaning or wheezing on the ground. Naruto once again calmly collected his bags.

"I'm sorry for the commotion," he said tersely, bowing to the semi-circle of people gathered around him. "I have a mission to complete, so if you'll excuse me." Iruka had taught him the basics of etiquette, and especially how to handle himself in situations like that. He would have a few choice words for Naruto if he learned of the encounter.

Sasuke and Hinata were already waiting at the bench where they had agreed to rendezvous. Sasuke looked irritated, and Hinata seemed more fidgety than usual.

"What took you so long?" Sasuke asked as Naruto approached, rising and looking his friend up and down. "And why're you so dirty?" Naruto shrugged noncommittally; he didn't want to talk about what had happened. Hinata watched him intently but said nothing.

"I had trouble finding a few things, and I fell once on my way here." Sasuke's eyes bored into his, as if they could simply tell he was lying through eye contact. "You two couldn't have been here long anyway," Naruto continued, annoyed. "Let's finish the mission so we can figure out what to do for Haku." That took Sasuke's attention away and he nodded, falling into place next to his friend. Hinata followed silently a step behind on Naruto's other side, effectively hiding her concern from view.

It was just after noon when they delivered the supplies to the elderly couple at the edge of the village. After finding Kakashi they made their way to the Hokage's tower, entering the missions office to give their report and receive a small amount of ryo for the completed assignment. Iruka smiled at Naruto and his friends as they came in. The Sandaime was rifling through papers at the desk, no doubt searching for the D-rank missions list, when Kakashi coughed politely and spoke.

"Hokage-sama, I would like to give my team a break from missions this afternoon to go over some special training." Iruka looked up from his work and blinked at the request, glancing aside at the Hokage a moment later. The old man was studying Kakashi's impassive features, an almost unseen smile tugging at his lips before he nodded.

"Of course, Kakashi. It is important that your students are well prepared, after all." If he didn't know any better, Naruto would have sworn he had seen a twinkle in the Hokage's eye. Kakashi bowed and thanked him, and the three genin mimicked his gesture before departing.

"The Hokage knows, doesn't he?" Sasuke asked quietly as they made their way down from the office. Hinata looked even more worried now, tugging one of her sleeves nervously.

"You never know with the Sandaime," Kakashi said with a shrug, opening the front door to the tower and letting in a flood of sunlight. "But I'm certain that he's the least of your worries right now. Remember what I told you. Or rather, what I _didn't_ tell you." They all nodded, and he returned the action.

"C'mon, we can use our place to talk. Iruka-sensei won't be back for a few more hours anyway." Sasuke nodded and turned to set off towards his apartment to pick up what he would need for the evening. Naruto went to turn towards Iruka's but stopped, glancing back at Hinata who was still standing by the doorway. Kakashi had disappeared – presumably to go read one of his weird books – and they were now the only ones in the area. "Hinata-chan?" She bit her lower lip and glanced up at him, and now he could see the distress written all over her features.

"Why were you attacked, Naruto-kun?" she asked hesitantly. He blinked at her before scowling down at the ground, shrugging after a moment.

"You saw, huh?" The question was largely rhetorical, but she nodded. "The same thing as usual," he sighed, giving her a wry smile. "You've been living with Iruka-sensei and me for a while now; you must have overheard us some time talking about the villagers." Naruto tilted his head towards Sasuke's retreating form, silently beckoning Hinata to follow as he took a slow step. She hurried next to him, still listening intently but staring at her feet now. "Ever since I entered the academy they've been a little more up front about their . . . Insults and assaults, I guess. Before that it was just whispers, and occasionally an 'accidental' shove in front of a moving food cart." Her eyes snapped up to him, wide with unspoken horror and empathy. He shrugged and continued, and it hurt her more still that he could just take it in stride. "Iruka-sensei taught me to just ignore them, that if I let them get to me it'll only encourage them and make things worse. But those guys . . ." He paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "I don't know, honestly. They were trying to pick a fight, and instead of walking away I egged them on and made them attack first. It wasn't right," he admitted, a bit of guilt showing through in his expression, "But they just got to me, I guess." Naruto stopped there, trying to ignore the people they passed. The hushed tones were less frequent and much quieter with Hinata next to him, but he could hear them all the same. And so could she.

"Naruto-kun . . ." she began, faltering and glancing around as they walked. She wanted to tell him that he had been justified in his actions, that nobody should have to endure such a thing. And what's more, he had lived with it every day for his whole life. It hurt to watch as he pretended the comments didn't affect him, that he didn't notice the cold looks of too many strangers. When she walked the streets of Konoha on her own, she was met with the same common courtesy any other citizen might enjoy; some who recognized her as a Hyuuga might even incline their heads respectfully. But Naruto . . . They might share the same roads, but when it came down to it they lived in vastly different villages.

Naruto blinked as he felt a soft pressure close in around his fingers, looking down to find Hinata's hand curling around his own. She was blushing furiously, and kept glancing around as if embarrassed, but her features were set in quiet determination. Color rose in his cheeks as well and she looked away quickly. Every time they had come to hold hands it had been Naruto that had initiated the contact, even when it had been him that needed consoling. It was a friendly, comforting gesture that was becoming more familiar, but it felt so different when Hinata was the one reaching for him.

Hinata didn't say anything on the walk back to their apartment, but she didn't need to. The stress from earlier had already started to melt away. Naruto didn't know how to put it into words, but it felt like she was trying to tell him something, like the action of taking his hand and holding on tightly was more than it seemed. He puzzled over it for a time before deciding it wasn't important. What was meaningful was that he felt better.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan," he said quietly, smiling sheepishly ahead. She ducked her head in a nod, not daring to look up. "You always know how to cheer me up." If possible Hinata reddened further, shaking her head quickly. "It's true," Naruto protested, though his grin faded as he glanced aside at a group casting furtive glances in their direction. "But . . . We probably shouldn't hold hands in public. People might start associating you with me and . . ." He trailed off as Hinata's head lifted sharply, her eyes fixing on his for a moment. In those brief seconds he saw strength of will and raw defiance unlike any he'd ever seen in his friend. She looked away again quickly, but her face was set in a determined stare.

"Good," she said quietly, though her tone was one of intense conviction. "I'm okay with that, Naruto-kun." Naruto blinked at her, and then she blinked at herself. "I-I mean," she stammered, squeezing her eyes shut for a second. "I mean associated like we are already, as friends!" Hinata struggled with her words for a moment, then fell into a hopelessly embarrassed silence. Before she could stop herself she pulled her hand from Naruto's grasp, leaving him equal parts worried and confused. "I'm sorry . . ." she mumbled piteously.

"I'll admit you can be weird sometimes," he laughed, causing her flinch visibly. He continued quickly, reaching down and retaking her hand without looking. "But you don't have anything to apologize for, honest. I appreciate you – I mean, I appreciate your friendship." They walked in that awkward silence for a time, both looking anywhere but at one another and blushing deeply. Before too long Naruto's bashful grin had returned, and he squeezed Hinata's hand again. She squeezed back.

* * *

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* * *

"Are you sure, Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, I can do it." Sasuke seemed annoyed at being asked the same question so many times, but he understood his friend's apprehension. "I'll think of something before midnight; trust me." Naruto nodded.

They were sitting on the floor in Iruka's living room, legs crossed and facing one another. Three glasses of water sat close at hand, along with an empty pitcher. Hours had passed, and it was now half past five. They had discussed at length possibilities and plans of action to help Haku, and although each of them knew that their decided course was a feeble one, they had little choice. Violence wouldn't do, and neither would attempting a covert operation. Their best option was, unfortunately, diplomacy.

"Alright," Naruto sighed, switching from his serious expression to a grin. "Let's head to dinner. No reason to miss out on celebration barbeque!" Sasuke opened his mouth to remind Naruto that he hadn't planned to go, but he was cut off by his friend's raised hand. "Come on, Sasuke; we already know the plan. Granted, the plan sucks, but it's all we've got. Sitting around getting worked up over it won't help Haku." Again Sasuke seemed like he wanted to protest, but this time stopped on his own accord and nodded. "And when we get Haku out, we'll take him to dinner there too." They couldn't help sharing a smile at that.

A few minutes later Sasuke and Naruto were waiting in the living room again, changed and ready to go. It wasn't a particularly fancy restaurant, but it was a good excuse to get out of their normal uniforms. Naruto tugged at his collar self-consciously. He had chosen to wear a relatively close fitting, dark blue coat that folded in on both sides. The two folds overlapped, allowing the top layer to cut diagonally from sternum to hip, and it was tied off with a black cord just below his waist. The formal long-sleeve covered a simple black t-shirt, only the collar of which could be seen. A pair of black slacks completed his attire.

Sasuke had gone with a much more traditional approach. The emblem of the Uchiha clan stood out boldly against the black silk on the back of his yukata, complemented by a crimson sash tied about his waist. He had even gone so far as to don wooden sandals. The folds of his robe were left slightly open at the top, enough to show just below his collar bones. Naruto had been sure to snicker and point out how silly that particular element was, but Sasuke had merely shrugged and insisted that it was comfortable.

When Hinata came out of her room – that is, Naruto's old bedroom – the boys' reactions were delayed, but similar. That is, as similar as two opposites could be. Naruto's jaw nearly hit the ground, and Sasuke blinked twice. She had allowed her hair to start growing out since moving in with Iruka and Naruto, and it was now pulled up into a graceful bun held in place by two ornate silver chopsticks. Her kimono matched the dark theme worn by her friends; its smooth black fabric was inlaid with elegantly swirling patterns of silver, several of which ended in violet rose blossoms. Her sandaled feet shuffled on the floor as she tugged at one of the bangs framing her flushing face, glancing up and burning a darker red upon seeing their reactions.

"W-what?" she asked as defensively as she could manage. It ended up sounding quiet and meek, as usual.

"You look great!" Naruto chirped, grinning broadly and rubbing at the back of his head.

"Wow," Sasuke muttered, smirking and shaking his head. "You ought to dress up more often, Hinata."

It took every bit of self-control she had not to flee back into the bedroom. Instead she tried to force the blush from her features and ducked her head, mumbling something that might have been an apology, or perhaps a mention of thanks. Naruto and Sasuke glanced at each other and shrugged.

Ten minutes later they arrived at the restaurant. A few heads turned to the trio as they entered, and more than one eyebrow rose in their wake. Iruka was sitting at a corner booth, still in his chuunin garb and forehead protector. His eyes went wide as he saw them, but the surprise didn't stop his smile and soft whistle.

"Hey you three. What's the occasion?" He laughed, ushering them into their seats. Naruto and Hinata sat opposite Iruka and Sasuke, everyone falling in automatically as if it had been planned. Iruka blinked and shrugged to himself before settling back down. "I mean, not that I mind seeing you all dressed up, but you could have told me so I'd be a little more prepared." His tone was light and playful; it was apparent that he wasn't overly concerned, just curious.

"It's for later," Naruto admitted, glancing from Sasuke to Hinata. They both gave him a small nod. Iruka looked between all three, quirking an eyebrow. "Let's order first, and I'll tell you. There's a lot to talk about."

It was just before seven by the time they had finished their meal, enjoying a temporary lapse in conversation to sit silently with their tea. After a time Iruka set his cup down, looking pointedly at Naruto. "Alright, so what's up? I'm enjoying the meal and hearing about your missions and training, but I'd like to know what's going on _after_ this for you three." Naruto swirled the liquid in his cup, thinking for a long moment before taking another sip and exhaling deeply.

"Iruka-sensei, do you remember the boy that came back with us from Wave Country?" Iruka blinked and nodded.

"Haku, right?" Naruto returned his nod.

"Well . . ." It took half an hour to tell the whole story, and Naruto kept his voice low despite their relatively empty section. He had filled Iruka in on bits and pieces of the mission – certainly none of the heavier parts. Now he took turns with his friends, explaining how they had met Haku and who he was, what he had done, and what they were going to try to do that evening. Iruka listened with rapt attention, taking in every detail and allowing the various emotions brought on by the retelling to play across his features. He had read Kakashi's mission report, of course, but it hadn't included the genins' viewpoints so vividly.

"We owe him for sparing Sasuke and Hinata," Naruto concluded, looking back into his now cold tea. "And I owe him, for killing Zabuza." Iruka gave him a sharp look and began to speak, but his former student cut him off quickly. "I know it was the right thing to do, Iruka-sensei. At least, I think it was. But . . ." The chuunin glanced to each of Naruto's friends; both of them were looking at Naruto. Sasuke looked impassive, though determined. Hinata's expression was overflowing with empathy, but it was evident that they had discussed this at length else she would look more worried. "Whether or not it was the right thing to do doesn't matter. He lost his only friend, Iruka-sensei. Even if I was right in doing it, he's alone now because of me, and they want to just kill him. He's not a bad person, and we think we can help him."

"And the clothes?" he asked with a worried, wry smile. Naruto grinned at him, looking a little embarrassed.

"It was Hinata's idea; she said we have a better chance of being taken seriously if we present ourselves well, or something." Hinata flushed and stared intently at her lap. Iruka beamed at her and shook his head, smiling genuinely now.

"Alright, I understand. I hope you three succeed tonight, but just be careful okay?" They all nodded, and he leaned back with a sigh. "Now, what else did you want to talk about?" Naruto blinked at him, and the other two turned to do the same. "Something's been nagging at you – not just you, Naruto, but all three of you – since you got back from that mission. Was Haku the only thing on your minds?" Iruka didn't miss a thing, it seemed.

Naruto gave him a small smile, and his eyes looked tired as they warily scanned the restaurant. It wasn't nearly as full as when they had first arrived, and there was nobody left nearby to overhear their conversation. Iruka tensed slightly. What could be a weightier topic than what they had just discussed?

"I found out about the Kyuubi, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said quietly, examining his hands. Iruka's breath caught in his throat, and he suddenly felt sick. The boy glanced up at him and grinned feebly. "Mizuki told me about it years ago, in the forest when he attacked me. It didn't make a lot of sense at the time, but since then – and especially on that mission – I realized that it was true." Iruka's gaze was distant, but he remembered himself to look quickly between Sasuke and Hinata; neither of them looked surprised. Naruto shook his head. "They found out in Wave Country."

It took Naruto another long while to explain what had happened on the mission. He skipped over the conversations with the fox demon, instead focusing on the physical events and his conversation with Kakashi afterwards. By the time he had finished it was close to eight and they were one of the last parties left in the establishment. As the story came to an end Iruka sagged back in his seat, head resting against the wall as his eyes closed. It was a long moment before he opened his eyes again.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, Naruto," he said finally, voice a little tight. "The current Hokage, Sarutobi-sama, passed a law after the Yondaime sealed away the Kyuubi. Nobody was allowed to tell you of it, under penalty of death." Naruto simply nodded dully; it appeared he had worked that much out. "It was meant to protect you, Naruto. There are those that would kill you – or worse - if they found out that you were a jinchuriki."

"Jinchuriki?" Hinata asked tentatively, looking from Iruka to Naruto.

"It's . . . What a person holding a tailed beast is called." _I guess that's not exactly a secret._

"There are more?" Naruto asked incredulously, eyes growing wide as he regarded Iruka. His old teacher nodded gravely, leaning his forearms on the table as he continued.

"We're not sure about the details, really; any village that might have a jinchuriki keeps it as a closely guarded secret, for similar reasons we've kept it from you." Naruto nodded slowly and he appeared to be calm, but his white knuckles on the table gave him away. "Rumors – or 'legends', I guess is more appropriate – say there are nine tailed beasts in the world, somewhere. They could be running wild, or they could be sealed inside a person like the Kyuubi was. Nobody knows for sure."

"Eight more," Naruto breathed, falling back against the booth, stunned. Everybody else at the table was surprised, though, when a fierce grin appeared on the boy's face. _I'm not the only one. I'm not alone with this after all._ He felt guilty immediately after thinking it, glancing at his friends with an apologetic look that they didn't understand. _At least, not the only jinchuriki._ "Maybe I'll get to meet them one day," he said faintly with a small laugh.

"Maybe," Iruka said smiling, the gesture not without a hint of sadness. He could tell that the news had brought a measure of comfort to Naruto. Even if the small fact couldn't assuage a fraction of the burden he carried, it was something. After a long and semi-comfortable silence, Iruka coughed and shifted over to rise from the table. "It's getting late; they're going to be closing soon." The other three nodded without saying anything, following his lead and standing. Naruto left payment for the meal on the edge of the table before they departed, eliciting a small, proud smile from Iruka.

"I'll be waiting for you back home." Iruka had turned to address them outside of the restaurant, looking seriously at each of them in turn. "Good luck, and be safe." They nodded dutifully and turned, disappearing into the gathering night. Iruka stood there for a while, staring after them with a faraway look in his eyes. "They shouldn't have to grow up so fast," he murmured to himself as he finally turned, hands finding his pockets as he began to walk home. _But they do in this world. There's no other way to survive._

* * *

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* * *

Three silent figures moved through the streets of Konoha, all but invisible in the moonless night. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata had waited in the park until the time had come, going over last minute planning. In truth there was little planning to be done outside of getting in and deciding what they were going to say and do when they got there. It was half past eleven as they reached the Hokage's building; the towering structure seemed much more daunting now than it did during the day.

As Kakashi had promised, the front door was unlocked, and they hurried in and down the indicated staircase immediately. Naruto had suggested a dramatic entrance right before midnight, but both Sasuke and Hinata had pointed out that it was possible that the execution could happen sooner than planned. It would be safer to go in at least twenty minutes before, else they risked being too late. They reached the basement and continued on silent feet, stopping at the last door on the left after the required right turn.

"Byakugan," Hinata whispered. She stared intently at the door for a moment, glancing from side to side before nodding. "It looks like Haku's inside, on his knees in the center of the room. There are maybe twenty others in a circle around him. Kakashi-sensei's there, too." Sasuke and Naruto both nodded, then braced themselves. Hinata nodded back, raised her hand slowly, and knocked on the door.

It wasn't the most dramatic announcement, but it sounded like it caused a minor commotion on the other side of the door. The sound of shuffling feet met their ears before the door cracked open, revealing a sliver of Kakashi's face visible on the other side. His eye scrunched up like it always did when he was smiling, and he closed the door again. Some hurried mutters could be heard just on the other side of the entrance, and then there was silence for a long moment.

The door opened a few seconds later, wide enough to allow them to enter but blocked by a surly looking ninja wearing a bandana under his hitai-ate. "This area is off limits. You are to leave at once." Before he could shut the door on them, Hinata spoke up, her voice uncharacteristically clear and firm.

"We have come to speak on behalf of the prisoner Haku. No matter the crimes of which he is accused, he is entitled to receive word on his behalf before his sentence is to be carried out. We humbly request permission to enter and speak." The man froze, eyes narrowing at the girl and her companions. Hinata began to tremble slightly, but she stood her ground.

"Ah, she is quite right," an amused, pleasant voice said from the other side of the door. "Please let them through, Genma." After a glance over his shoulder the doorman shrugged, stepping back to allow them through. Hinata swallowed and started forward, Naruto and Sasuke stepping in right behind her.

The room was small and swathed in darkness along all sides. A single light hung from the stone ceiling, bathing the center in a circle of pale illumination. The strange set up made it difficult to see the faces of those standing just outside of the light, though a few profiles were familiar. The Hokage was given away by his hat, of course, and Kakashi's hair was hard to mistake. The rest were unrecognizable shadows, looming all around them and shifting in the darkness.

Haku was at the center of the room, his hands bound behind him. He had been forced to kneel there, blindfolded and in the same clothes he had been wearing when he had arrived in Konoha; his garments looked ragged and like they hadn't been washed. Despite his condition the boy was still, and what could be seen of his face was completely placid. Haku didn't appear even mildly troubled by the circumstances.

"Hyuuga Hinata," the Hokage's voice sounded again, still touched with a tone of amusement. "Uchiha Sasuke. Uzumaki Naruto." As he stated each of their names they bowed, taking their place in the light just in front of Haku. "What is it that you wish to say?"

"Pardon me, Hokage-sama." The voice belonged to one of the shadows at the old man's side. His face was shrouded like the others, but his head seemed to be slightly compressed as if by bandages, and one of his arms was held up towards his chest like it might be injured and placed in a sling. "Ibiki's interrogation of the boy revealed that he had been working closely with Zabuza for many years. He attempted to kill four shinobi and a client of the Leaf. We know also that he has aided in the murder of many more outside of our own village. All of this he has done of his own free will, and by a majority decision his sentence was given."

"I am aware, Danzo," the Sandaime said with a sigh. "But no life should be taken lightly. Death is final." He let the words sink in for a few seconds before continuing. "We would be doing our youth a disservice by spurning their pleas, and only prove that our village is not a just one." Danzo seemed to tense for a moment, then sighed and stepped back. "Please proceed, Team Seven."

"What are you doing?" Haku whispered, sounding distant but calm.

"Trying to help," Naruto responded quietly, nodding to Hinata. "Shush and let us." Haku raised his head slightly, mouth working as though he couldn't have found words even if he had wanted to. Hinata stepped forward then, only a pace in front of her friends, and spoke.

"We have come to request clemency for Haku, and offer our own testimony in hopes that you might reconsider his sentence." Behind her, Haku's lips parted in what could only be disbelief. "To begin, I'd like to tell of my own experiences.

"I encountered Haku once before our battle at Bridge Seven. At the time I was alone, and I believe he could have easily killed me had he wished to." A few murmurs from around the room started up and died away quickly as she continued, hands held tightly together in front of her. "From that instance I was able to understand a little about Haku, mainly that he is not an innately violent or cruel person. His motivation to live was in Momochi Zabuza, who had taken him in at a young and impressionable age. I believe that, despite Zabuza's ways, he did care for Haku. Because of the bond they shared, and the circumstances of his upbringing, I believe that he should be offered leniency on account of his actions. He is a kind person, Hokage-sama. I think even kind people can be used by those with ill intentions." She looked around, pausing for effect like they had practiced. "If this sentence is carried out without granting him the chance to prove himself a friend of Konoha, as I believe he can be, it would be travesty." Hinata bowed and stepped back, shaking visibly.

Naruto stepped forward as his friend returned to stand in front of Haku. As they passed one another he purposefully stepped too close, finding her hand and grasping it tightly for a fraction of a second. He flashed an encouraging smile at her as he passed, and then he stood in front on his own. He couldn't see it, but Hinata had stopped trembling and stood facing the Hokage, silently thanking Naruto for giving her strength again to stand fast.

"Hokage-sama, I think I can explain Haku's actions from a more personal perspective." That got people muttering again, though as before they quieted as Naruto continued. "As Hinata-chan said," he continued, not seeing her flush behind him, "Haku and Zabuza cared about each other, even if it was in a strange way. But when I was about to kill Haku at the bridge, Zabuza got in my way, and sacrificed himself to save his friend. Kakashi-sensei told me that, in Zabuza's last seconds alive, he wanted us to know that Haku was a kind person, and not to be blamed for his actions against us." Against his own will Naruto's voice grew more impassioned as he went on, though he consciously kept it respectfully low. "I know what it's like to have nothing, to have no one. If I'd been given the same opportunity as Haku when I was younger, do you think I would have passed up on the chance to be with somebody who wanted me?" Silence. Not even the rustle of clothing could be heard, and his breathing suddenly felt loud in his own ears. "I turned out okay because somebody cared enough to take me in, to show me what it means to be human. Haku didn't have that chance. Zabuza may have ended up caring for him in the end, but he only wanted Haku as a tool to help accomplish his own goals. But the thing is, he _wanted_ Haku, and that was more than anybody else had given him. Please, don't make the mistake of assuming he's a bad person just because of the man he worked for. Haku was led astray, but I know that he can be an ally if we give him the chance." By now he had gotten control of his voice again, and he ended on a sincere note. With a bow he stepped back, fists clenched as his sides.

Sasuke looked around before he moved, a graceful step that barely disturbed his garments. For a long moment he simply examined the gathered audience, seeming to see more than his friends had. A few that his eyes traveled over shifted uncomfortably. When his gaze finally settled on the Hokage, the old man noted that his Sharingan had been activated. The boy's eyes were hard, filled with confidence, defiance, and smoldering anger.

"Sandaime-sama," he began calmly. "I don't believe that I have personal experience to offer in Haku's defense, or even private encounters to judge his personality by. However, what I do have is logic and reason, both of which tell me that his life should be spared." Sasuke paused there, taking a moment to sweep his gaze around the room again. "You all read Kakashi's report, yes? I'm sure that in it were our accounts of what happened inside of Haku's mirror technique. In case you have forgotten, Haku allowed Hinata and I to live." That incited a few more mutters in the room, and even a stray snort. "Had it been any other ninja, had Zabuza chosen to recruit a bloodthirsty killer, we would be dead right now." Sasuke stopped again, sweeping back to the Hokage. "Does that sound like a murderer to you, Hokage-sama? Does it sound like somebody who deserves to be sentenced to death, somebody who spared two defenseless genin?

I think, though, that we've covered just how we feel about Haku as a person. But have you yet considered him as an asset?" The Hokage smiled from the shadows, nodding slightly for the boy to continue. "The three of us together were barely able to bring him down, and he possesses a rare bloodline trait as well. He's at least of chuunin level right now; don't you think that a reportedly kind, skilled ninja in possession of a potent kekkei genkai could be invaluable to the village?"

"We have already considered this. It is–" Danzo began, but Sasuke cut him off sharply.

"Well consider it harder." It wasn't loud; he barely spoke above a normal conversational volume. However, the iron-clad ferocity could be felt by every individual present, and it stopped the other man in his tracks. "You seem so willing to ignore what we say, to throw reason to the wayside. What do we have to do say to convince you to spare his life? What needs to be done to give him the chance he deserves?" Complete silence filled the room again, broken this time only by the soft tapping of tears hitting the ground.

Haku was participating in the quiet, stunned but still kneeling, his face fully turned up towards them now. As far as anyone might be able to tell, his expression was still blank, but the cloth covering the lower part of his eyes was darker than the rest. Trails of tears led down to drip from his chin, freezing halfway down to clink lightly on the hard floor. He didn't understand why they were going out on a limb for him after all he had done. Zabuza was dead; he no longer had a reason to live. He was ready to die. Why did they have to care so much?

Kakashi took his cue at Sasuke's final appeal, stepping from the shadows to stand just behind his students. "Hokage-sama," he intoned, inclining his head politely. "I had a chance to speak to Haku for several days before we returned to Konoha. I agree with my students, and I trust their opinions in this matter. I know that a pardon is out of the question, but I would request that he be released on strict probation under my supervision. I will take full responsibility for his actions until such a time that he can be accepted as a full shinobi, and an ally of the Leaf."

It was like the other bits of reticence throughout their speeches had been a practice run. Silence hung heavy in the room, marred only by the soft buzz of the light above. Seconds turned into years in that oppressive quiet, and by the time the Hokage spoke more than one bead of sweat had formed on more than one brow.

"Kakashi," he began in the same calm voice, eyes sparkling in the dimness. Hinata was biting her lip harder than normal, and Naruto and Sasuke held their breath. "I find your students' reasoning compelling enough to grant your request for probation. However . . ." They caught their breath again at the exhale, hanging on the Hokage's every word. "You must understand that the boy is your responsibility. If he harms any citizen of the Hidden Leaf, or breaks any of our laws, you will stand with him in his sentencing. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said without hesitating, bowing again. "I understand and accept the responsibility."

"You can't–" another voice began again, but was cut off once more.

"I can, Homura," the Sandaime said firmly, his voice taking on the edge of authority. "As Hokage I am permitted to alter a sentence as I see fit. You know as well as any that I do not abuse this power. I am choosing to put my trust in Kakashi and his team, and in Haku."

"I agree with the Hiruzen's decision." This voice was female, though weathered with age. She had also addressed the Sandaime by his first name. "The child may prove useful in the future." Slowly, a murmur of assent rippled through the room. If the Hokage and even one of his advisors saw promise where others did not, it was worth the chance.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. Utatane-sama." Kakashi bowed again, then turned to the genin. "Wait for me outside. Haku and I will be out soon." They nodded, and all glanced once back at Haku before hurriedly complying. Even Hinata had to resist the urge to sprint from the small room in a mixture of sheer adrenaline, fear, and elation. It was as unbelievable, but they had done it. Haku was safe.

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* * *

Naruto leaned against the wall outside. His dress shirt had been unfolded and now hung all around him, held up only by the makeshift belt. The black undershirt clung to him, what skin showed on his arms and neck glistening with sweat. The warm summer air did little to help him cool down, but the heat was far from his mind at the moment.

"Yeah!" he whooped again into the night. Sasuke and Hinata both smiled at him wearily, though it was clear they were more relieved than excited as he was. Sasuke had pulled his yukata back so that most of his lean torso and shoulders were exposed, similarly covered in perspiration. Poor Hinata didn't have the option to modestly cool off like her friends, but she had loosened her kimono slightly to at least get some air flow going. It had been a stressful night.

They stood quietly together for nearly twenty minutes, the air seeming to cool as they began to calm down. By the time the doors to the tower opened they felt completely normal again, though they tensed as Kakashi appeared a second later. Haku followed just behind him wearing a lost expression.

"Great job you three," Kakashi said approvingly, nodding. Naruto beamed. Hinata pressed her index fingers together and ducked her head, though she looked pleased and relieved. Sasuke, though, just smirked at him.

"You knew that the Hokage had the final say," he said, shaking his head. "That's why you wanted us to come. If we all came and defended Haku in front of everybody, it gave him the perfect excuse to grant Haku's probation." Kakashi didn't respond to that, but he winked mischievously.

"Those were some pretty eloquent speeches, especially yours Hinata. How long did it take you to get the words right?"

"Three or four hours," Hinata said timidly, blushing lightly at the attention. "I learned how to speak properly at my home, and my tutor had me memorize words often used at formal occasions."

"So that's how these two managed to sound halfway decent," Kakashi mused, nodding slowly to emphasize the jest. Sasuke gave him a level look, though couldn't stop the smirk from creeping into his expression.

"You bet," Naruto stated proudly, nudging Hinata's shoulder with his. "Without Hinata we would've been tripping all over ourselves in there." It was then that he took notice of Haku again, who had been staring at them in turn, face completely blank. "Oh yeah, hey Haku. Glad you made it out okay." He gave the other boy his best grin.

"Why?" Haku asked hollowly, empty eyes trying to work out the mystery in front of him.

"Why what?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow and letting his smile fade to a small quirk.

"Why did you save my life?"

"You heard what we said. I mean, some of the stuff we may have exaggerated or played up a little, but we still think you're a nice person. Besides, you didn't kill Hinata or Sasuke. We can just call it even now." Naruto's smile returned as he laced his fingers behind his head.

It wasn't much, but Haku's expression twitched, and fresh tears began to well and fall. Here were three strangers, people whose lives he had threatened, and they had fought for his life. They had defended him, and what's more they believed in him. He was _wanted_ somewhere, and even if it was too much for him to puzzle out, it felt real.

"I . . ." he started, his voice thick. Everything felt heavy all of a sudden, and the world was spinning. Kakashi caught the boy before he fell. He blinked, then looked up at the other three.

"I think he fainted." Kakashi sounded relatively amused as he leaned down and lifted the unconscious boy carefully. "Well, I hadn't thought too much about this possibility, but he's going to need somewhere to stay. I could keep him with me, but I think it would be better if we got him a place to stay near one of you." They all looked at him curiously at that, and he shrugged. "You three fought for him, and I know he'll appreciate that. It'll go a long way towards rehabilitation if he can be near people who might one day be his friends. As long as I can check up on him regularly, it doesn't matter where he stays."

"He can stay with me." They all turned to look at Sasuke, who glanced at each of them and shrugged. "My place is big enough for two people, and I have a spare bedroll at least. He can stay there until he's ready to find his own apartment." Kakashi nodded after a few seconds, though spoke as soon as he began walking next to Sasuke.

"I know you all have faith in him, and I truly believe he's a good person as well. But be careful, especially if you're going to have him living with you." Sasuke nodded as they walked; he had already thought it over. "Alright then. I'll bring him over. Naruto, Hinata," he called back, "Thank you again. Get some sleep; I still expect you at nine tomorrow for missions."

"Only if you're there on time, sensei," Naruto chuckled. He turned and winked at Hinata and started off towards Iruka's, wondering why she was blushing again. Without either of them fully realizing it, they walked back home, hand-in-hand.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Heya folks.

I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Even though I have a lot of things planned out, it's always fun to see their development in action. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Thank you to my beta, Rhi, for always doing fantastic editing. I'd be a mess without it. Well, more of a mess.

I also wanted to note that I'll be keeping my chapter progress updated on my profile from now on. Whichever chapter I'm working on will be listed, as well as an up-to-date word count. You may be fairly familiar with the length of my chapters by now, but just in case I included an average for reference.

Thank you for the great response to Chapter 7; I appreciate all the reviews, favorites, and follows. It just makes me want to write more for every one I receive.

See you next time!


	9. Team Gai

**Chapter 9 – Team Gai**

Sasuke's scarlet eyes flickered around, taking in each and every one of the projectiles surrounding him. His feet crunched as he shifted; the ground was covered in a thick layer of long, sharp needles of ice. More were appearing, the floating tendrils coalescing rapidly until he could hardly see through them. With a sharp nod, he grit his teeth and crouched, and a moment later the spikes began to plunge towards him.

He moved with feline grace and was quickly lost in a cloud of frost, whirling with a kunai in each hand. Within the icy dust he twisted, pivoted, and deflected every shard that would otherwise have struck him. It was a blinding dance, one that had Sasuke lost in the shroud surrounding him. By the time the last of the icicles had flung themselves towards Sasuke the haze had begun to thin. After a moment he was visible again, kneeling on the bed of frost and breathing hard.

"One more time," Sasuke panted, rising shakily. "I was too sloppy that time."

"I can't, Sasuke-kun," Haku breathed, leaning heavily against a tree nearby. The boy looked exhausted, although he was smiling and shaking his head. "I don't have enough chakra to do it again. Besides, that's your fourth time in a row without taking a hit." Despite how tired he was, he looked pleased. "It's only been four days since I started going all out; I can't believe you're already able to keep up."

"Like Naruto always says," Sasuke sighed, smirking as he collapsed into the grass by Haku's tree, "I cheat. There's no way I'd be able to do it without my Sharingan active."

"Maybe," Haku admitted, still smiling, "But you _do_ have the Sharingan." Sasuke shrugged, closing his eyes and allowing them to change back to normal. Haku watched him for a moment before tilting his head to the side curiously. "Did you three always train this hard?"

"I guess so. Well, yes and no. We always trained together, and always took it seriously. But since we came back from Wave Country it's been . . . Different I guess." Sasuke grew quiet for a time, dark eyes fluttering open to watch a few clouds passing by overhead. "It was our first time as a team in a life threatening situation; it turned out to be several of them, actually." Haku blanched slightly and looked away. "I think we all realized afterwards that in order to keep each other safe, we'd have to get stronger."

"Each other? Not yourselves?" Haku asked, glancing back curiously. Sasuke shrugged again, but said nothing. It had been a rhetorical question, really; Haku understood all too well what it meant to gain strength to protect another. He smiled faintly. "I envy you and your friends. To have such love and dedication for one another is truly wonderful. I . . . I am sorry that I–"

"We've been over this, Haku," Sasuke cut in sharply, though with no anger in his voice. "All of us have spoken to you about it, and it's in the past. We're alive, and you're on our side now. That's all that matters." Haku looked away again, but nodded after a moment. "And you can have friends like that too, now," he continued, closing his eyes again. "Hell, you've got three already." The older boy turned back towards him and blinked, tilting his head again.

"Three what?" he asked blankly, as if Sasuke's words hadn't registered at all.

"Friends, Haku. We're your friends; Hinata, Naruto and I are. Why else would we be spending time together?" Sometimes it was difficult speaking to Haku, who seemed to have little to no understanding of how normal relationships worked. It had taken them most of a week to convince him that they held no ill will towards him, and it still came up occasionally. Trying to explain how healthy, mutual friendships worked was turning out to be a daunting task.

"Sasuke's right, Haku-chan." They both looked up as Hinata approached. Sasuke waved a tired hand, and Haku turned to smile at her. "We're your friends, but only if you want us to be," she said gently, though the conviction in her voice trailed off near the end. Haku didn't completely understand why, but he could tell the girl was distracted.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan," Haku said warmly. He still didn't understand how one became friends with another person, but they kept insisting it had already happened. "Where's Naruto-san? Aren't you two usually together?" Hinata flushed slightly at that, and she stopped near the tree to press her index fingers together absently.

"He said he had a meeting with the Hokage this morning," she explained, sinking onto the grass and folding her hands. "He'll be meeting us at the bridge around ten; Kakashi-sensei usually gets there about thirty minutes after that, even though he has us meet there at nine every morning." Hinata giggled lightly at that. It was a little high pitched and awkward, like she wasn't sure how to do it right or was worried that it might be the wrong time. Sasuke lifted his head to blink at her. Had she really just laughed, and at a comment she had put forward herself?

"Is he asking about it?" he asked casually, settling back down. Haku looked down at him, then back to Hinata, frowning a little. She nodded, biting at her lower lip as her brow creased with worry. Sasuke nodded back, saying nothing. Haku knew better than to ask about this; there were some things he could not yet be trusted to be told. Many of them, it seemed, had to do with Naruto, and might have a connection with the strange power he had used at the bridge over a month before.

"How are you two doing with training?" Hinata asked. Sasuke opened his mouth to respond, but Haku beat him to it.

"He's incredible," he asserted with a small, proud smile. "I've been using my Thousand Needles technique at full speed and he can deflect or avoid all of them now." Haku gestured to the thinning coat of needles nearby, most of which were already half melted. "I get exhausted before he does now." It was Hinata's turn to blink now; Sasuke had shrugged as expected, but there was a bit of pink that had risen to his cheeks at Haku's compliment. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen her friend blush, if ever.

"It's not as effective as your divination-thing, though," he remarked at Hinata, "But short of not being inside when the needles come it's the best I've got." Haku shrugged and gave Hinata a wry smile; he was getting used to how stubborn – and often humble – Sasuke could be. Hinata shook her head but didn't object; she, too, knew how stubborn he could be. "Have you and Naruto figured something out for him?"

"Not yet," she sighed, looking crestfallen. "He's still trying really hard, and his speed has increased a good deal as a result. But . . ."

"But it's a lot harder without a bloodline ability," Sasuke finished for her, sounding frustrated for his friend's sake. They both knew that Naruto would never give up his training, and he was at it harder than ever since Sasuke had 'surpassed him'. In some ways it was a good thing; he would get stronger because he had more motivation to. But fighting Haku had made them realize the need for a defense against more advanced abilities. Hinata's technique was the most effective by far, though she was working hard to master a more advanced variation. Sasuke had his Sharingan, and with it and Haku's help he had been able to increase his physical capabilities enough to develop an effective strategy.

"He'll do it," Hinata insisted, "You and I both know he will." Sasuke nodded, though he seemed less confident than she was. Haku merely watched the exchange, eyes alight with interest.

_They have such faith in one another_, he mused, an old sad smile creeping onto his features. _Maybe that's what real friendship is. Trust; they believe in each other no matter what._ And they believed in _him._ Even after what he had done to them, they wanted to be around him, to trust in him. Maybe it wasn't the same kind of friendship yet, but a hope began to burn inside of him that one day it might be. He would like that.

"Alright," Sasuke said after a few minutes of silence, sitting up slowly and covering a yawn. "I'm going to head back and shower before nine. I still don't get why we get there on time when we know he'll be late." Haku had straightened as he mentioned leaving, offering a hand to help him up. Sasuke took the offer without missing a beat, rising and glancing down at Hinata. "Did you want to grab some breakfast with Haku and I afterwards? I think we're going to go to Ichiraku's."

"Sure; I'll meet you there in half an hour. I need to do my morning stretches first." She winced slightly at her own words, and Sasuke smirked. Hinata had pulled a muscle a few weeks earlier while practicing one of her jyuken techniques, and had since resolved to increase her flexibility. Haku and Sasuke bid her farewell and set off for their apartment a moment later. Hinata breathed in and out deeply for a minute or so, removing her sandals and folding her legs so that each of her feet rested on the opposite knee. She smoothed her features and tried to relax, enjoying the morning sunlight that warmed her face. As she moved into her series of stretches she tried her best not to think about Naruto and his conversation with the Sandaime. She only succeeded in part.

* * *

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Naruto sat on a bench outside of the Hokage's office, his foot tapping steadily on the wood floor. He hadn't been waiting long, but the impending conversation wasn't going to be on a light topic. Outside of his friends – minus Haku – only Iruka knew that he had learned of the Kyuubi sealed inside of him. The Sandaime had always been a calm, reasonable man, but this was a delicate matter.

_**Quit sweating, boy.**_ The voice wasn't nearly as loud as it had always been in the chamber, but it still rumbled through his thoughts clearly enough to be discerned as something separate from his own. _**The old man probably realized that you'd figure it out eventually.**_

_Quiet, _Naruto growled back, immediately annoyed. _When you suggested an easier way to communicate I agreed on the condition that only I would initiate conversations. If you don't mind your own business I'll have the Hokage tighten the seal instead of loosen it._ Instead of a biting retort, the Kyuubi chuckled at him. It was odd to have the echo of a monstrous laugh bouncing around in his head.

_**It is my business as much as it is yours, mortal. You would not have the seal tightened in any case, not when it's your precious hope to help your little friends.**_ The voice faded then, and the fox's presence in his mind receded quietly. The demon remained in the background, and Naruto could feel it if he chose to. He ignored it, trying not to let the Kyuubi set him off. The worst part was that he was right: Naruto wouldn't tighten the seal. In his eyes both Hinata and Sasuke were becoming stronger than him. He was proud and happy for his friends, but at the same time he was struggling to keep up. The Kyuubi knew that. Part of him felt he should rely on his own strength, but another side laced with darker reasoning told him that the power of the fox demon would be a boon for him. The latter argument had won out in the end.

"Uzumaki Naruto, the Hokage will see you now." Naruto glanced up to see an ANBU agent holding the door open. He hadn't heard a thing. The boy nodded and rose, stepping forward into the office with a deep breath.

The Hokage's office was neatly organized, and surprisingly short on clutter. It looked like the headquarters of a man who, among other things, didn't spend more time there than was necessary. The floor was different there than in most rooms, made of smooth, bronze-colored stone slabs. A few bookshelves ran along the walls on either side of the door, filled with thick tomes and piles of scrolls. At the far end of the room sat the Hokage, in front of a stretch of windows that curved around a third of the back wall. His desk was occupied only by a short stack of books and papers, piled up carefully and set aside. The old man looked as placid as ever, chin resting lightly on his laced fingers as he leaned forward onto the desk. The door closed behind Naruto as he reached the center of the room, where he bowed and waited to be addressed.

"Welcome, Naruto," he began pleasantly, smiling very slightly. "What can I do for you this morning?" His tone was grandfatherly, like it always had been when he addressed the boy. Even when he was young and pulling pranks through the village, the Sandaime had always treated him with compassion and patience.

"Thank you for meeting with me, Hokage-sama." Naruto took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and readied himself. "I came to talk to you about the Kyuubi."

Had the old man frozen Naruto wouldn't have been surprised. If his breath had caught in his throat, or his eyes widened, it would only be reasonable. Although it would have been out of character, Naruto would have even accepted an outburst. But the Hokage didn't even blink. He just sat there, looking at the boy with the most impassive expression. A moment later his eyebrow quirked upward, though it indicated curiosity rather than surprise.

"Yes?" he asked calmly. _Now_ Naruto was off balance.

"I – ah . . ." he started, shaking himself after a few seconds and taking another breath. "I found out about the Kyuubi almost a year ago, from Mizuki when he attacked me in the forest." The Hokage said nothing, merely nodding after a moment for Naruto to continue. "Since then I've had . . . Interactions with it. I've spoken to the Kyuubi a few times now." Finally the old man blinked. "I figured out how to talk to it whenever I need or want to. And as much as I hate to admit it, Sasuke, Hinata, and I would have all died at some point had I not been able to tap into its power. It was an accident both times," he continued quickly, as if the admission to using the Kyuubi's chakra was reprehensible. "But it did save our lives.

"I . . . I think I can use its chakra, Hokage-sama. We talked it over and he agreed to help me with it if I agreed to loosen the seal." Now the Hokage's eyes narrowed, and he leaned back slowly in his chair.

"No," came his response a moment later. Naruto blinked and began to protest, but a raised hand stopped him cold. "I understand what you are saying, but even if I could do it I would not. The Fourth created that seal himself, and whether by design or by flaw it is weakening on its own. That is why you are able to access the Kyuubi's chakra now, I suspect." Naruto swallowed and said nothing. "Naruto," the Sandaime continued in a more gentle tone. "I cannot forbid you from using that chakra, but I caution you that the consequences could be grave. Not only for you, but for the village, and for your friends."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, momentarily forgetting his manners. The old man sighed and folded his hands, considering the boy seriously for a while before explaining.

"Naruto, I don't wholly understand the Kyuubi or its chakra, but it is the demon that once destroyed our village and claimed an untold number of lives in its rampage. The tainted chakra that it held is monstrous as well, and that is what is sealed within you." He allowed his words to sink in for a few seconds, still studying Naruto carefully. "From the reports I received from Team Seven, you seem to have limited control over the power that has come to you in times of need. The first time, in the tenth training ground, I felt the Kyuubi's chakra spike, from all the way over here. And Naruto, that wasn't even a fraction of what the real Kyuubi's chakra feels like." His voice had hardened there, emphasizing his point. Naruto swallowed again and looked a bit pale. "If you take too much of that chakra, it's possible that it would consume you. If that were to happen, it's possible that the demon fox could manifest itself using your body as a vessel. I have a feeling that, if it's asking you to loosen the seal, its intentions might lie there."

Naruto was a bit taken aback at all of that. He knew that there had to be risks involved, but he hadn't imagined that the power he had drawn upon had been only the smallest portion of the Kyuubi's energy. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine at the thought of even double that chakra; he didn't even want to think about what a hundred times might do to him. _Probably tear me apart._

"Hokage-sama," Naruto began again, tentatively now. "I understand; I won't try to loosen the seal. Not yet, at least." The Sandaime blinked and tilted his head to one side, as if trying to figure out the boy's next move. "If I leave the seal like this, not too much chakra can get out, right?" The Hokage considered for a moment before nodding slowly. "Do you think it would be safe if I started with as little as possible, then worked my way up? The Kyuubi said it would help me control it."

"In return for what?" Sarutobi asked mildly, though his eyes were hard. "I wouldn't put it past the Kyuubi to trick you, Naruto. Have you made any deals with it already?"

"No," he lied quickly, "It just wants more freedom. Not externally, I don't think. He's basically a prisoner and . . . Well I think he's lonely or something." Naruto seemed flustered at that last part, and not entirely sure why he felt that way. A snarl echoed from the back of his mind but he shoved it away. The Hokage was looking at him like he might be insane. "For now I think he just wants to talk to me more. I mean, it must be pretty bad being sealed away in a kid for twelve years right?"

"You shouldn't allow yourself to feel such sympathy for the Kyuubi," the Hokage sighed, eyes softening again. Naruto was a kind boy, and possibly too empathetic for his own good. "But," he continued, rubbing at his chin absently, "I suppose if you pace yourself I can't object. I had expected you to learn of the Kyuubi sooner or later, and perhaps learning to control it would serve you well. However, I will be assigning an ANBU agent to keep an eye on you." Naruto blinked, but the Sandaime waved a hand dismissively. "You won't ever see him, and he'll likely only be there when you're using the Kyuubi's chakra. It's kind of hard to miss, after all." There was an amused twinkle in the old man's eyes now. "I'll inform all of the ANBU and jounin not to worry about random Kyuubi-like chakra surges. Just try and keep your training to secluded areas as to not draw attention to yourself, alright?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama; I will. Thank you." Naruto couldn't help but grin as he bowed, exchanging a brief farewell before departing.

_Oy, fox,_ he started as soon as the room's threshold was cleared. _Was what he said true? About your chakra consuming me and you basically escaping?_

_**If I told you no, would you believe me? **_The Kyuubi sounded annoyed; it seemed that the Hokage was telling him the truth. _**I don't need your pity, by the way; I'm practically an immortal being and I do **__**not**__** get lonely.**_ Naruto found himself chuckling at that as he exited the building.

_Whatever. Look, I'm still willing to make you the deal._ There was a pause from the demon. It was difficult recognizing the feeling of surprise from somebody – or something – else in his own mind, but it seemed that the Kyuubi had been caught off guard. _But I'm not going to loosen the seal – or even look for a way to – until I can fully control as much chakra as you can give me right now. After that, we'll find a way to work out the seal problem._

_**And you expect me to comply with that? **_he asked contemptuously. _**You want to simply take and control my power under my guidance, without anything given up front?**_

_I was thinking of it more like working together. _Naruto shrugged, both physically and mentally. _There's no point in trying to fight you for control; you're way stronger than I am. Besides, I let you out of your cage, so to speak. Now we can at least talk. I don't really have much else to give you right now._It was a long moment before the Kyuubi's laugh began to reverberate through his head.

_**Interesting, mortal; you've got guts, and at least you can respect the difference in our power.**_ A few seconds later he felt the demon nod, which was an eerie thought in and of itself. Hearing a voice in his head was one thing. Being able to feel its actions and the occasional emotion was another. _**Alright, I'll help you out. But this isn't going to be easy, kid. You're an insect trying to wrestle a mountain.**_

_Sasuke always tells me I'm stubborn, _Naruto said with a smirk, leaping onto the nearest building to make his way quickly towards the bridge on the north side of the village. _Just don't be a jerk about it and things might work out alright._ The Kyuubi laughed again before its presence faded, leaving Naruto to consider his meeting with the Hokage and the conversation with the fox. This was going to be a challenge, but if would make him stronger and able to help his friends then it would be well worth it.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"You guys are the best!" Naruto bubbled between bites of ramen. He was eating out of one of two bowls sitting on the bridge railing, one of which still had a plastic covering.

"We never would have heard the end of it if we didn't bring you some," Sasuke said dryly, though he held a small smirk as he shrugged. "It was Hinata's idea, though." Hinata flushed and fidgeted with the hem of her coat, mumbling something about ramen and courtesy. Naruto grinned at her.

"Thanks, Hinata-chan; you know me too well." Although she turned an even darker shade of red, a small, appreciative smile tugged at the corners of her lips. That was one of several changes they had begun noticing about her as of late. Hinata wouldn't be herself without the blushing and fidgeting, but she had begun to accept compliments a little better. She smiled more instead of just looking at the ground. On rare occasion, as Sasuke had witnessed earlier, she even laughed. It might have been a delicate, quiet thing, but it was genuine mirth. Naruto didn't quite understand it, but he was glad to see his friend happier and more open.

"How'd your training go, Sasuke? And where's Haku?" Naruto asked, looking around. When he had arrived only Hinata and Sasuke had been there, waiting with his ramen.

"He's reading back at my place; his chakra was really low after this morning, so he wanted to rest." Sasuke told Naruto about his progress that morning and was met with a broad grin.

"Way to go!" Naruto said enthusiastically, holding out his fist towards Sasuke. The other boy rolled his eyes and rapped his knuckles against his friend's. "I knew you'd be able to do it. What do you think you'll do next?"

"I'm not sure," Sasuke shrugged, leaning back against a wooden beam of the rail. "Kakashi-sensei says that the best way to improve is to increase my strength and speed. My Sharingan can increase my reaction time and let me copy some techniques, but he said that it's limited by what my body can handle. So the more I train physically, the better I'll be able to utilize the Sharingan's power." Naruto nodded; Sasuke had mentioned something similar before. "So," he continued, voice growing serious again, "What did the Hokage say?"

"He said I can do it," Naruto beamed, "But whenever I'm training there'll be an ANBU agent watching from somewhere, I guess as a safety precaution." He quickly relayed his meeting with the village leader to his friends. They were as taken aback as he had been upon hearing what could happen if he lost control. Hinata looked distraught, and Sasuke seemed pensive.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata began, releasing the lip she had been biting. "That sounds really dangerous; are you sure you . . ." She trailed off, blinking at Naruto as he smiled and shook his head.

"You know I have to try. Besides, the Hokage said that if the seal stays like it is, only so much of the Kyuubi's chakra can leak out. According to the fox, unless I remove the seal myself it won't go anywhere any time soon. And," he continued, setting down his empty bowl and picking up the other to start on, "The Kyuubi agreed to help me out even without loosening the seal."

"Are you sure you can trust him?" Sasuke asked skeptically. "I mean, I already think it's pretty weird that you can just talk to him whenever you want now. Plus I mean, it's a demon. Demons aren't exactly famous for making friends with people."

"I don't know," Naruto admitted, shrugging and taking a moment to chew through a few noodles. "But I just get this feeling that he's not all that bad. I mean, he's an ass – er, Jerk, sorry," he amended, glancing sheepishly at Hinata. "But I . . . I dunno. I just think he wants to help. Maybe it's fun for him, or maybe it's just a good excuse to be out of that cage." He shrugged again and fell silent, poking at his ramen distractedly. Sasuke seemed unconvinced, and Hinata looked more worried than before, but they both knew that Naruto would go through with it no matter what. He had promised himself that he would get stronger in order to protect his friends, like they all had. And if it allowed him to protect the village at the same time, it would be well worth it.

Kakashi arrived a few minutes later, making some excuse involving a black cat and a ladder. "You three will have a break from missions for a few days," he said blithely. They had a moment to blink at him, then each other, before he continued. "I'm going to be out of the village for three to five days, depending on how things go."

"You're going on a mission?" Naruto asked; he seemed genuinely surprised. "I didn't think you could do that if you were in charge of a genin team."

"I didn't say I was going on a mission," Kakashi responded, "But I didn't say I wasn't, either. All you need to know is that I'll be gone, and I made arrangements for your training in the meantime." Now he had their attention. They had almost exclusively trained together, even when not under Kakashi's guidance. "You'll be joining Team Gai every morning until I get back, starting today. Any questions?" Sasuke shrugged, but didn't otherwise react. Naruto seemed nonplussed but compliant. Hinata, however, had gone a bit pale.

"A-ano, Kakashi-sensei?" she began, and they were surprised to see her stammer rise up almost immediately. "Can we um . . . Could we train on our own, instead?" Hinata wasn't looking at anybody, instead choosing to study the wooden boards under her feat. Her friends looked at her, then looked back to Kakashi, who seemed like he might actually be weighing her request. She looked uncomfortable at the very least, and even a little distressed.

"Sorry, Hinata," Kakashi said after a moment, sounding like he meant it. "I think you three could learn a lot from his team; they're one year your senior, and they're very talented genin. I just recommend not getting Gai on a rant about 'youth', or you'll be sick for hours." Naruto and Sasuke looked at him quizzically, but Hinata kept staring down. "Let's go; I'll introduce you before I have to leave." He turned and began walking slowly away, prompting his students to follow after.

"What's wrong, Hinata?" Naruto asked almost immediately, keeping his voice low. Her grip on her coat tightened a little, and when she finally spoke it came out tense and hushed.

"My cousin is on Team Gai." Hinata glanced up at them, noting their confused expressions and ducking her head again. "He's from the branch family, and we . . . We never got along very well." She left it at that. Naruto looked confused and worried, glancing over her head to Sasuke. The other boy shrugged, but appeared to be concerned in his own way. Almost at the same time – Naruto beat him by only a moment – they each took one of her hands as they walked. Hinata brought her head back up, looking at each of them in turn.

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan," Naruto started with a grin, giving her hand a familiar squeeze. "We'll be there too." It wasn't much, but he didn't know enough about the situation to make any brash statements. Sasuke merely walked along, providing his support through silent contact. Hinata bit at her lower lip and nodded, squeezing Naruto's hand back a little harder than usual. He winked at her, and was glad to see a familiar flush rise briefly in her features.

It took only a few minutes to arrive at the training area Team Gai was using. It was surrounded by trees, and aside from a large boulder and a taijutsu training dummy it looked fairly unremarkable. The scene that they were met with, however, could only be described as chaos. On the other side of the large rock weapons littered the ground, and more seemed to be flying from the trees every second. They were aimed at a severe looking boy with long black hair held back by a forehead protector. He wore simple black shorts, a beige shirt that seemed a little too large, and bandages that covered most of his right arm and leg. But it was his eyes that really drew Naruto's attention. They were white, just like Hinata's, and the veins surrounding them bulged with the telltale sign of an activated Byakugan.

The Hyuuga boy spun in smooth circles, deftly deflecting each of the projectiles that might hit him with his _hands._ They glowed blue with the chakra enveloping them, a display that was both impressive and dizzying as he moved. Naruto almost didn't see the pink blur that shot from the trees towards the boy, meeting him as the last kunai went spinning into the ground. He didn't miss a beat, however. His whirl stopped abruptly as one of his forearms struck the heavy metal of a tonfa in an outward block, the other hand mirroring the movement on an identical weapon.

The girl that now stood locked with her adversary was of average height, with dark brown hair done up in two neat buns. Her face was set in a determined grimace as she strained against him. Her lean, straining muscles were clearly visible, as the light pink top she wore was cut off at the shoulders. With a frustrated 'tsk' she thrust her knee upward, forcing her opponent to bend backwards as a kunai shot towards him from below. In the same movement, as his defense weakened, she jerked back and her weapons disappeared in a cloud of smoke, replaced by a kusarigama. In an instant she was on the offensive again, whirling her chain and sickle with trained precision.

Naruto and his friends could have watched the battle until its conclusion if not for the _other_ pair occupying the clearing. Both were dressed in tight, forest green jumpsuits and wore bright orange leg warmers. Both had black, bowl-cut hair that seemed to shine in any light. Both had opted to wear their forehead protectors as belts, backed by a red cloth. And best of all, both were standing on their heads, rotating slowly in circles as the older of the two exuberantly instructed the younger.

"Lee!" he bellowed, eyes afire with strange passion. "This is the essence of youth! You must train your senses to be focused no matter the situation!" Every sentence was a joyous exclamation, even though his face was beginning to darken from the blood flowing to it.

"Yes Gai-sensei!" Lee chirped as sweat ran up his face towards the ground. He was looking a bit queasy, but seemed to be trying to match his teacher's enthusiasm. All in all it was an odd – and somewhat disturbing – spectacle. Even Hinata was staring openly, and Sasuke had a look of mixed disgust and embarrassment.

"Eyebrows . . ." Naruto muttered shakily, his own eyebrow twitching once or twice. All at once the commotion in the area came to a halt. The two that were sparring abruptly stopped and faced them warily. Gai kicked up from his position and landed solidly on his feet, while Lee wobbled and toppled over ungracefully.

"Kakashi!" Gai cried, smiling so wide that Naruto was concerned that his face might break. "Late as always; you'll never grow stronger if you always procrastinate. You need to seize your youth! Ah, and these must be your students. I am Maito Gai, Kakashi's eternal rival!" Almost everything the man said came out loud and joyous. "This is my protégé Rock Lee! And over there are the other members of Konoha's strongest team – Tenten and Hyuuga Neji!"

"Sensei," Tenten groaned, burying her face in one of her palms. "They've already started looking at us weird because of you and Lee." Neji remained silent nearby, his expressionless eyes fixed on Hinata. She fidgeted under his gaze, looking away quickly.

"Yo, Gai," Kakashi replied, sounding as bored as usual. "These are my students and members of Team Seven: Hyuuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto." They bowed in turn to the eccentric group, each back to his or her mostly-normal demeanor. Sasuke appeared to be as nonchalant as Kakashi, Naruto looked curious but friendly, and Hinata was reserved and slightly pink. "I'll be leaving them in your care for a few days."

"Yosh!" came the tall man's exuberant response. Lee looked from his sensei to the newcomers, and assumed an expression similar to the older man's. "Lee, Tenten, Neji: this is a perfect opportunity for you to test your skills. I expect you to train hard with your temporary teammates for the next few days!"

"Yes, Gai-sensei," they all chimed with varying amounts of enthusiasm. Lee seemed ecstatic, Neji was his polar opposite, and Tenten appeared to be somewhere in between.

"Great. You three have any questions?" Kakashi asked his team. They shook their heads. "Alright then, play nice. Gai, try not to kill any of them, or worse." He waved at that and vanished in a plume of white smoke, leaving his genin to blink at his final words. Worse?

"Wearing one of those might be worse than dying," Sasuke said under his breath, causing Naruto to stifle a laugh. Hinata turned red – and a little green – at the thought of having to wear one of the audacious jumpsuits.

"Are you really an Uchiha?" Lee asked at once, eyes intent on the dark-haired boy. Sasuke nodded, but his expression didn't change. The boy's eyes lit up and he turned immediately to Gai. "Sensei, I want to spar the Uchiha first!" Sasuke blinked, and tilted his head, but still said nothing.

"Ah Lee, I see that the fires of youth inspire you to test your strength. What do you say, Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke shrugged and stepped forward, rolling his shoulders slowly before speaking.

"I don't see why not; we are supposed to be training with you." He stopped a few meters from Lee and blinked once. As his eyes opened they were already changed, the red irises of the Sharingan already studying his opponent. Lee took in a breath and faced Sasuke, seemingly undaunted by the intimidating stare. Naruto and Hinata glanced at one another and nodded at the same time, circling around the pair. They leapt up and settled on the boulder a fair distance from where Sasuke and Lee would clash, and after a moment Tenten, Neji, and Gai followed. The other girl jumped up to join them, smiling before turning her attention back to the match. Neji and Gai remained standing.

"I've heard a lot about the Sharingan," Lee said calmly, dropping into a strange taijutsu stance. Seeing that they would begin with hand-to-hand combat, Sasuke stepped into his own form. "Since I heard of you I have wanted to test my strength against those eyes of yours."

"Do you want to talk, or fight?" Sasuke asked bluntly, features still set in boredom. "You won't be fighting my eyes, Lee-san; you'll be fighting me." That got Lee to look at him curiously, but then grin and nod.

"You're right, Sasuke-san. Let's begin." Lee took in another deep breath, set himself, and dashed forward at break-neck speed. If not for his recent training with Haku, Sasuke wouldn't have been able to react quickly enough to the onslaught of blows that came at him. Lee wasn't quite as fast as Hinata, but his blows were solid and designed to break bones instead of damage tenketsu and internal organs. Each and every block came with a price, and the boy was fast enough to keep Sasuke on his toes. But he hadn't been training hard for nothing.

Lee seemed baffled – as did his teammates – when Sasuke struck the first blow of the match. It had come after the older genin had seemed to vanish, reappearing in the midst of a whirling kick that had forced Sasuke to duck. Lee had transitioned the move perfectly, landing and pivoting on his hands to thrust another hard kick directly at his opponent's jaw. If Sasuke hadn't trained using Haku's jutsu, the blow would have landed. There was no time to dodge the kick; Lee's series of movements had been executed flawlessly. However, the boy's balance would be precarious, and Sasuke's eyes picked up the subtle strains in Lee's muscles as the blow came. He leaned back at the same time his left palm flew forward, striking Lee's shin with a sharp jab that threw off the kick's momentum and sent it out instead of up. In the fraction of a second that the taijutsu specialist was thrown off balance, Sasuke twisted and slammed his heel into the side of Lee's skull in a powerful spinning hook kick.

As Lee toppled sideways and rolled along the ground, Tenten gasped and looked bewilderingly towards Sasuke. Neji's eyes widened slightly, and his lips quirked up in a small smirk. Gai was shaking his head, but Naruto was beaming. Even Hinata allowed herself a tiny, proud smile for her friend.

"I've only ever seen Neji or Gai avoid that combination," Tenten breathed, staring at the boy that had just knocked her teammate down. "That's . . . Impressive."

"That's an Uchiha," Neji corrected smugly, "And from the looks of it he's a genius of his clan. It's not surprising that Lee got hit first."

"Neji is right," Gai said, speaking loud enough so that Lee could hear as well. "Lee underestimated him." He watched Sasuke for a moment as the boy resettled into his stance. _You taught him well, Kakashi._

Lee tumbled to a crouch, clutching at the side of his head and wincing. He looked as shocked as the rest, mouth hanging agape for a few long seconds before he finally bowed his head to Sasuke. "Gai-sensei is right. I thought that you might be more arrogant and neglect your physical training due to your kekkei genkai. I see now that you have worked hard to make sure your body can keep up with your Sharingan's sight." Lee rose to his feet slowly, and Sasuke nodded towards him in response to his show of respect. "I will come at you seriously now, Sasuke-san."

The match lasted two or three minutes longer, and every second was filled with blurred motion and powerful strikes. Once Lee had regained his focus, Sasuke was hard pressed to land another blow. The boy wasn't just good at taijutsu; he was an expert. Every strike was precise and powerful, every block was executed perfectly, and all at a speed that Sasuke could hardly keep up with. By the time they disengaged, both breathing hard, Lee had scored several more hits than his adversary and gained the upper hand.

"Excellent!" Gai boomed, beaming at the two exhausted genin. "That was a glorious match, filled with the power of youth. Lee!" The green-clad genin straightened and saluted his teacher, slowly regaining his breath. "You must train harder if a genin a year your junior can nearly beat your taijutsu."

"Yes sensei!" Lee cried, sounding just as into it as Gai. "I will do one thousand push-ups and walk fifty laps around the training ground on my hands!" Without further ado he dropped to the ground on the spot and began counting out his exercises. Naruto and Hinata glanced at one another, clearly perplexed, before Tenten explained.

"This is normal, don't worry," she sighed, kneading her temples. "Everything has to be over the top or it isn't normal." Naruto laughed at that, and Hinata choked at a giggle before falling silent. He glanced at her, wondering what was causing the sudden increase in tension. Her eyes flicked to Neji and back down again, and then he understood.

"My turn!" Naruto said happily, kicking off of his perch and landing in a swirl of his black coat. "Neji, want to spar? It'd be a great training opportunity for me." _That is, if he's at least as strong as Hinata is. _From what he had seen as they had approached, it wouldn't be difficult to believe.

"You won't have a chance," Neji said flatly, not even looking at him. "I'll spar the Uchiha when he's recovered; he's the only one worth testing myself against." Naruto blinked, then glanced back towards Hinata before regarding the proud boy again.

"Hey, I'm Sasuke's teammate, and we all train together. How do you know I won't give you a challenge?"

"You were an average student at the academy, and you're well known for being a delinquent. In what world do you think you'd have a chance against me, especially without a bloodline ability of your own?" Naruto clenched his jaw, and Hinata winced. Naruto's days of being a prankster had yet to be forgotten, it seemed, and Neji had said the one thing that she knew would set her friend off.

"So what if I don't have one?" Naruto snapped. "I bet I can beat you down without it."

"Naruto-kun," Hinata began tentatively, not wanting the situation to escalate. Not to mention, she knew more about Neji than he did. "He's–"

"You should listen to my pathetic cousin, Uzumaki. I bet she doesn't want you to get hurt fighting me," Neji sneered. It was Hinata's turn to set her jaw and stare down at him. The fact that he had called her pathetic was completely lost; all she had focused on was that he had insulted Naruto's strength.

"Naruto-kun is not weak," she said quietly, though her voice was hard. Naruto blinked up at her, then grinned and rubbed at the back of his head. Tenten looked between them for a moment, smiled knowingly, and winked at Hinata. She blushed immediately and looked back down, though her expression lost none of its resolve.

"Neji," Gai chided, clicking his tongue at the boy. "Do not be rude to our guests. If Naruto wishes to spar, you will fight him." Neji cast a glance at his sensei, rolled his eyes, then nodded. He strode casually to the clearing as Sasuke made his way back to lean against the rock, flexing his fingers and rubbing at his forearms.

"That guy throws punches like battering rams," Sasuke muttered, wincing as he felt his wrists. Hinata slipped down and placed a hand on his arm to begin healing him. He gave her a small appreciative smile before turning to Naruto. "Kick his ass." His eyes were back to normal now, but they were hard and angry. He had apparently overheard their conversation.

"You bet," Naruto replied coolly, giving them a thumbs-up before moving to face Neji. _Hey fox, it's time to start teaching. Give me as little of your chakra as you can. I mean it; the very smallest amount you can squeeze through the cracks._

_**You sure about that, kid?**_the Kyuubi rumbled, voice filled with its usual mockery. _**I've never had to purposefully siphon my chakra for you to use; I don't know what will happen. You could lose it the first time.**_ He considered his own words for a moment before continuing; he seemed to be grinning somewhere inside of Naruto. _**Of course, that would be fun too.**_

_Just shut up and do it,_ Naruto growled, forming the ram seal and crouching into a ready stance. Neji raised an eyebrow and didn't move. _I'll channel, you start trickling._ A massive contemptuous snort was all that he got before he felt . . . Something.

It wasn't a particularly overwhelming feeling like it had been before, but he could feel the chakra pouring into him. Apparently the smallest amount that the Kyuubi could leak through amounted to over double Naruto's innate and already massive chakra stores. On the outside nothing seemed to change at first, leading Neji to continue staring, unimpressed. That is, until Naruto opened his eyes again.

"I didn't think there was a bloodline that only turned your eyes purple," Neji mocked. His laugh was cut short as a tidal wave of alien murderous intent hit him, and he froze, staring at Naruto.

Hinata and Sasuke had both taken in a breath when they had seen the color of Naruto's eyes. But now they just watched grimly as orange chakra erupted around their friend, consuming and covering his body completely. His previously indigo irises abruptly reddened, and his pupils elongated to slits. It wasn't the same violent burst of energy that it had been on the bridge; it was more similar to the first time when Naruto had nearly killed Mizuki. The shroud of orange chakra stayed, however, swirling about him until it settled into a cloak with one long tail of energy twitching back and forth behind him.

Gai tensed and crouched immediately, but Sasuke held out a hand to him as if to block his path. The jounin blinked down at him, alarmed, but he shook his head. "Don't worry," he assured the eccentric man, keeping his eyes on Naruto. "He has it under control." Of course, none of them – not even Naruto – knew that to be true, but they had faith in him. After a few quick glances between Naruto and Sasuke, Gai relaxed and leaned back again. His features were hard now, though, eyes narrowed and worried. Tenten and Lee merely looked confused, and the latter had even stopped mid push-up.

Naruto fell to one knee, one eye closed as he grimaced. _Too much,_ he barely got out, grinding his teeth as the chakra threatened to overwhelm him. _Less._

_**You think this is easy?**_the Kyuubi nearly roared at him. _**It's not my fault that your weak flesh can't handle the smallest fraction of my power.**_ Despite the tone, Naruto felt the chakra slowly ebb away until his head stopped throbbing. The haze that had settled over his vision slowly began to clear, and he was able to stand again. _**If you can't handle this, you're not even worth the time to teach.**_

_Some teacher you are; is this just the sink or swim method?_ The fox simply growled at him. Naruto looked down at his hands, then the rest of himself. He was coated now in a razor-thin layer of orange chakra that seemed like just another layer of skin, though it covered his clothing as well. Every now and again a portion stirred and bubbled like boiling water before settling back with the rest. Naruto's eyes, unbeknownst to him at least, had returned to their original bright blue.

"What are you?" Neji asked tightly. Naruto looked up and grinned at him, noting that the boy's Byakugan was already active.

"Sorry about that. We can start now," he replied, ignoring the question. Sasuke smirked and made an approving sound, while Hinata simply let out a relieved breath. Gai kept staring hard, though he no longer looked as worried. "Ready?" His opponent nodded slowly, sinking into a jyuken stance. _Just like Hinata, so far._

Neji was ready, though apparently Naruto was not. He was gone in an orange flash of movement, ending up overextended inside of Neji's guard. The Hyuuga's eyes went wide, but he leapt back nimbly before the other genin could recover from his blunder. _He's not used to moving that fast._ But that didn't stop Naruto from practicing; it would only be a matter of time before he got used to it.

The beginning of their duel consisted of many touch-and-go encounters. At every clash Naruto primarily dodged Neji's attacks, well aware of the damage they would cause if allowed to land. Meanwhile, Neji was getting a feel for his adversary's speed and power. It was impressive – even he could admit that – but it wouldn't be enough to beat him. As soon as he realized that, Neji went on the offensive, and the tone of the fight changed immediately.

Naruto knew that Hinata was fast, and Sasuke's training was allowing him to catch up to her speed as well. But if they were quick, Neji was lightning. Like Hinata his strikes carried less power than Naruto's, but the chakra pulsing from his palms was viciously strong. Every time one of Neji's hands came into even light contact with Naruto a spike of pain shot through him; it felt like being stabbed with senbon. It was like getting struck by Hinata but with twice the ferocity.

They disengaged and Naruto stumbled back, breathing a little hard. Neji was strained noticeably more, but he had also been landing the vast majority of the blows. _Try a little bit more; I can't keep up with him yet._

_**Kid, I know your limits better than you do. If I give you any more you'll be on a rampage in no time. I agreed to teach, so let **__**me**__** decide what you can handle.**_ Naruto couldn't argue with that, but it didn't stop him from getting frustrated. This guy had insulted Hinata, and every fiber of Naruto's being wanted to make him pay for it. The Kyuubi sighed; he could tell what was going on without being told. _**Only a sliver more, but if you start losing it I'm cutting it off completely.**_

_Thanks. _He braced himself for the incoming chakra surge, but it didn't come as expected. Power lurched its way into him sluggishly, and the orange layer began to expand outward. After a moment it settled, creating a visible film of writhing chakra a centimeter or two from his skin. There were spots on his arms and chest that the energy skipped over completely, however.

_**He hit quite a few of your tenketsu. You could force my chakra through, but you also might lose control of it that way.**_ _**This is foolish, even for you, mortal.**_ Naruto gave Neji a tight grin, showing off a pair of elongated canines. His eye color was back to wavering between blue and red, but settled eventually on pale cerulean with only a hint of crimson near the edges.

_Better end it quick, then._ As if on cue Neji dashed forward with the same idea in mind. Just before he reached Naruto he spun, going down into a deep crouch and spreading his arms wide. Naruto recognized the form immediately.

"Hakke: Sixty-Four Palms!" Hinata was on her feet the moment she had seen Neji drop into his stance, and she now stood clutching the hem of her coat so tightly her knuckles turned white. Sasuke glanced over, shook his head, and nudged her shoulder. She caught his look, visibly calmed herself and nodded, sinking back down silently to watch as Neji's movements began to blur.

Naruto was easily able to counter the first few sets of blows, but as the series progressed he struggled to keep up even with the additional energy provided by the Kyuubi. "Thirty-two strikes," Neji continued, arms becoming blurs as they lashed out to strike at Naruto's tenketsu. Naruto was only able to block or dodge ten, and again he felt himself stagger back. "Sixty-four strikes!" The last statement came out as a grunt, but the attacks came regardless of the obvious strain Neji was under. Naruto didn't even have a chance to avoid them. He crossed his arms in a desperate defense and was all but thrown back in a barrage of blows; they were so fast that it felt like they had all landed at the same time.

Naruto collapsed onto his knees, arms falling to his sides like leaden weights. Every part of him was in agony. Neji straightened slowly, managing a disdainful look through his labored breathing. "I've closed your tenketsu; the match is over." He turned to walk back to the boulder, but froze halfway there as another blast of strange chakra washed over the clearing. He turned slowly back to Naruto, mouth slightly agape and eyes widening in fury and disbelief.

The blond boy was standing again, and though breathing hard there was a fierce grin on his face. His eyes were red now, but for the moment he still seemed to be himself. "Not yet, Neji-san. I still haven't paid you back for what you said to Hinata." The aura of the Kyuubi's chakra twisted and pulsed, and the beginnings of a tail began to form behind him. _Five seconds,_ he said tightly, watching as his vision began to blur. _Cut it all off in five seconds._ Even as Neji dropped into a ready stance Naruto burst forward at full speed, gathering as much chakra as he could in his right hand. Unfortunately for the older boy, that much power wasn't meant to be blocked.

Neji flew backwards as the blow connected with his jaw, moving fast enough to cause whiplash for anybody who might try to follow his movement. Luckily Gai had seen it coming, appearing behind his student to catch him before he struck a tree or the big rock. Neji seemed dazed but functional, and after a moment he was back on his feet, rubbing at his jaw and glaring at Naruto. He got one last cheeky smile from the blond, and then the orange chakra faded. After a stumbling step, Naruto began to fall forward, his face contorted in obvious pain. Hinata and Sasuke were at his side before he hit the ground, catching him under each shoulder to support his weight with their own. Despite his condition, he was still smiling weakly.

"I think you proved your point," Sasuke muttered as they made their way back to their seats, shaking his head. "That was pretty incredible, but it looks like it takes a toll on you."

"Yeah," Naruto wheezed, still short of breath and aching all over, "Kinda sucks; wasn't ready for it." Hinata was silent, her cheeks burning a brilliant pink, although she looked more worried than embarrassed at what he had said on her behalf. "I still lost, though. He's tough."

"You should be proud that you did so well, Naruto-kun," Lee stated gravely as he approached. "Neji is my rival, and he is very strong. I've heard that even among the main branch of the Hyuuga he is considered a genius." Naruto smiled a little wider at the encouragement. It wasn't that he hadn't been satisfied with how he had done; he was just so exhausted and hurt everywhere. Lee seemed to understand, and he returned the small grin with a bright one of his own.

"What was that chakra?" Neji demanded as he and Gai approached. He was looking a bit worse for wear, but unlike Naruto he could still stand on his own power. "You shouldn't be able to use any with your tenketsu closed; you should hardly be able to move."

"Secret," Naruto shrugged. It was mostly true, at least. When Neji looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel over the curt response, Naruto sighed and waved a hand feebly. "I've trained with Hinata-chan for over five years. I found my own way around it." That wasn't quite a lie, but it made a lot more sense than anything he could explain to the irate boy. Neji's eyes narrowed, and with one glance and a snort at Hinata, he stalked off into the woods. Gai watched after him for a time before turning to Naruto, the serious expression he wore seeming somehow misplaced on his features.

"He can be very proud," the jounin explained, watching Naruto intently. "And he hasn't encountered anything like that before. You probably rattled him."

"Serves him right," Naruto muttered as his friends helped him sit down at the base of the boulder. "He shouldn't have said what he did about Hinata." He wasn't able to see her turning bright red as his eyes closed, but he heard her speak hesitantly after.

"It's okay, Naruto-kun. The Main and Branch houses don't always . . . completely get along." She finished the statement a bit lamely, as if the words she had chosen didn't convey how she felt about the topic.

"Why not?" he asked curiously. The strength in his voice was already beginning to return.

"It's . . ." Hinata hesitated before shaking her head. "It's complicated." He opened his eyes at that, and she gave him a look that told him it was something to discuss later. He nodded and shrugged, then grinned at her.

"Well, I guess it's your turn then." Naruto said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster in his state. She blinked at him and paled a little, looking to Tenten and Gai nervously. Naruto lifted his arm painfully to nudge her leg with his elbow, winking when she looked back down at him. "You'll do great; I know you will." Her color returned and she gave him a small nod with an accompanying tiny smile.

"Of course she will!" Gai thundered, seeming to have found his spirit again. "Now you two, show us your fires of youth!" Tenten rolled her eyes, smiled encouragingly at Hinata, and jumped from her perch. "And Tenten: no lethal weapons until tomorrow."

"They're all lethal," she said incredulously. Gai eyed her sternly and she pouted at him. "Fine, just the blunt ones then." The girl stomped into the clearing, muttering under her breath about not being understood.

Hinata paced after her adversary, squaring off opposite the girl before settling into her modified jyuken stance. Tenten cocked her head sideways and scrunched up her eyes at Hinata. "That's a weird jyuken stance. I've never seen Neji do one of those." Hinata smiled faintly at her but quickly smoothed over her expression in preparation for the match. Tenten shrugged and reached behind her belt, pulling out two scrolls and flicking them open deftly. A moment later, after a pair of smoke clouds billowed up from the parchments, she was twirling two pairs of nunchaku at her sides.

It turned out that Tenten was very used to fighting a close-quarters specialist. She utilized her superior reach at every given opportunity, dancing nimbly around to keep Hinata at a distance. After a minute of using the first pair of weapons she transitioned smoothly into others, alternating every minute or so in order to keep her opponent on her toes. After the nunchaku came the metal tonfas she had used against Neji, followed by a quarterstaff, and finally by a pair of what looked like maces with heavy, round metal heads.

Hinata held her own against the older girl, using speed to her advantage. Taking a hit from any of the weapons would hurt, not to mention the possibility that they could break bones. She had the most difficult time with the nunchaku and steel maces, but was able to put Tenten on the defensive with the other weapons. The girl seemed genuinely surprised at that, and even took a few hits as a result.

After five minutes of constant back and forth they both were breathing laboriously. Hinata had succeeded in dodging the majority of Tenten's blows, but the few that had gotten through had done enough. She held her weight largely on one leg, as if the other had been badly bruised or even broken. One arm was shaking violently as it strained to stay up and ready; it had likely suffered minor nerve damage.

Tenten was in no better condition, surprisingly. The maces were on the ground beside her, and she was down on one knee and wincing in pain. "You," she panted, sounding impressed, "You're almost as fast as Neji, but your style is so different. I thought I'd be dealing with straight jyuken. What was that?"

"Jyuken," Hinata responded, equally breathless. "But many of the movements are modified and crossed with goken techniques."

"I noticed you included a lot, _lot_ more kicks than Neji ever does. _And_ you channeled chakra into them?" She seemed to be in moderate disbelief when Hinata smiled demurely and nodded. Tenten whistled softly and stood up stiffly. "Well, color me impressed. It's always great to meet another strong kunoichi. Want to call it a draw? I think you landed more hits, but I'd say mine did a fair bit more damage." She winked and Hinata nodded again gratefully, turning to walk back to where the rest were gathered. Tenten moved to her quickly and helped, taking up the weight on her injured leg's side. Hinata flushed but thanked her, casting a glance at Naruto who had been struggling to get up and help her himself. He grinned and settled back down, appearing to have recovered quite a bit during the bout of sparring.

"Yosh!" Gai exclaimed, extending his arm in an exaggerated thumbs-up as he gave the girls what they were beginning to assume to be a signature smile. Just like Lee, a ray of light must have hit his shiny white teeth at just the right angle, creating a sparkle that flashed for an instant near the corner of his mouth. "I'll give you three a few minutes to recover. Lee, Tenten, Neji; we're going to run a lap around Konoha using only one leg!" Without waiting for them to respond he bounded off towards the nearest section of the outer wall, Lee following immediately after. Tenten gave the other three genin a helpless look and trotted after her teacher, clearly unenthused. After a moment there was a rustling nearby, then silence; Neji appeared to have been near enough to follow his sensei's order.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked Hinata as they left, turning concerned eyes to his friend. "Those weapons looked like they hurt."

"I'm okay; it's only a few fractures and a lot of bruises." She winced and shifted to lay her uninjured hand on the opposite wrist to begin healing it. Naruto didn't seem convinced, but he didn't get press it. He knew Hinata was strong, and it would only be insulting to treat her like she wasn't. Instead he smiled at her.

"I never really thought about your style being so different from regular jyuken. I guess it helps when the person you're fighting expects something else, huh?" He shook his head, keeping the grin. "But you did better than me and Sasuke; you tired her out before she even knocked you down once." A bit of pink invaded her features before she shook her head back at him.

"She wasn't able to go all out on me; remember what Gai-sensei said? She would have used a lot of ranged weapons if he hadn't told her not to use anything sharp."

"You would have handled that just fine," Sasuke said evenly, leaning back against the rock and closing his eyes. "We all know how you handle projectiles." Hinata blushed a little more and continued her healing. After finishing she stretched a little before turning her attention to Naruto, mending his injuries as best she could.

"So," he continued while she was working on Naruto's tenketsu, "What happened with the Kyuubi's chakra? You looked like you were losing control or something for a second there, and I don't think all that damage is from Neji alone."

"No, but most of it is," Naruto laughed. He explained what had happened briefly, and shrugged near the end of the description. "I think I can almost handle it with that tail thing sticking out. But I almost blacked out when he just started me there; I think I need to slowly ramp it up until I can tolerate the power. It just feels so . . . Weird, I guess. I don't know how to describe the feeling when the chakra wraps around me. At first it feels kind of gross, like it's dirty or something. But after a while it stops and just feels heavy."

"That makes sense in a way, I guess," Sasuke started slowly, looking pensive. "I mean, the Kyuubi is a demon, and from what you said it's always kind of grumpy – no offense, Kyuubi." Naruto had informed them that the fox could see and hear everything he did, and every once and a while they also acknowledged the presence. "Maybe its chakra has taken on its anger or hatred or something. Chakra is supposed to be a unique signature; maybe since it's been alive so long the Kyuubi's chakra just took on some of its prominent traits." After a moment's thought Naruto slowly nodded.

"But why are you so hurt?" Hinata asked gently, running her hands down one of his arms. It wasn't that she held no interest for the theories, but her concern was in Naruto's health.

"Most of it _was_ Neji," he repeated, but he looked down at his hands after a few seconds and considered it. _Why am I so beat? Even after serving as Hinata's practice target I don't get this tired._

_**I warned you that it's dangerous,**_ the Kyuubi growled. He seemed a little angrier than usual. _**I didn't give you that last burst of chakra; you took that, fool. **_Naruto blinked, and he felt the demon roll its eyes. _**If you get emotional enough, you subconsciously draw on it against my will. And if you do it again, I'm through helping you. My chakra will eat away at your pathetic body unless you get used to it first.**_ Naruto blanched at that and nodded dully, drawing a worried look from his friends. He told them what the fox had said.

"You'd better listen, then," Sasuke sighed. "I understand that you want to get stronger, and you're not exactly the most patient person I know, but this is serious. If you don't take it slow, it could kill you." Hinata nodded vigorously in agreement, and Naruto raised both hands in a conciliatory gesture.

"I will, I will; I promise."

After finishing the day with Team Gai they had returned home tired and sore. Following the intense sparring matches they had performed a series of exercise drills including distance running, sit-ups, push-ups, and more directed taijutsu training. Gai had them paired up and going through slow drills, correcting forms and demonstrating technique with Lee. After that they did some work with weapons, led largely by Tenten and Gai together. They had finished the day with yet more drills, sparring, and finally a ten mile 'cool down' jog.

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Two more days of the grueling regimen passed, and by the end of the third day Naruto had gotten a feel for the Kyuubi's chakra. It no longer felt as foreign, for whatever reason, and while he was still unable to form the tail of his cloak he was capable of holding a thicker layer for a longer period of time. Although he felt like the progress was slow, the fox was always there to berate him about how idiotic he would be to skip ahead.

Haku had come to observe the training for the first day, joining in on a few drills and speaking amiably to the members of Team Gai; he even tried to talk to Neji, who gave him the cold shoulder more often than not. Haku's forte was not in taijutsu, and as such was encouraged to participate more and more to improve himself. Two days did little for him in that regard, but he appreciated the welcome more than anything else.

On the evening of the third day, a few hours after returning to his apartment, Sasuke sat in a reclined chair on the balcony. He was watching the moon intently, expression far away and a mask of stoicism. As he did most nights, Sasuke was thinking about his friends, his deceased family, and Itachi. It wasn't as if he was unhappy with his life at the moment, but there was that ever-present, terrible lonely feeling of having lost something precious. In his case, the loss had been incalculable. The lives of his mother, father, friends and neighbors had been lost, and all at the hand of his older brother. It was a hurt that would never go away, and he knew it. With that sadness came thoughts of bitter revenge, that one day he would seek out Itachi and take his vengeance for what had been done.

At some point in the midst of his brooding he noticed a presence nearby. "You're still awake?" he asked mildly, not looking away from the moon. Haku stepped from the doorway and sank into the chair next to Sasuke's, folding his hands in his lap.

"It's hard for me to sleep sometimes," Haku said calmly. "I could ask you the same question."

"Just thinking," Sasuke sighed, running a hand back through his hair. "Sorry if I kept you up." He stood and turned to walk back into the apartment, but stopped as he felt a hand touch his forearm. He blinked down at Haku questioningly, and the other boy hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"I don't mean to step out of place, as I am a guest in your home. But you always seem so . . . sad, Sasuke-kun. May I ask why that is?" Sasuke regarded him for a long moment before shrugging and leaning back against the railing of the balcony, looking back into the darkness of the apartment.

"A few years ago my older brother killed my parents, as well as every other member of my clan. I was the only one left alive," he offered bluntly, not even a hint of emotion in his voice. Haku's eyes widened, his lips parting in silent empathetic horror. "I'm not really sad all of the time; Naruto and Hinata have helped me through the years. I owe them a lot, really, especially since they agreed to help me get revenge on Itachi. It's just a little hard to deal with sometimes, when I'm alone. I'm actually kind of glad you moved in here, to tell you the truth. It's dumb, but I guess it's just nice having somebody else around. At the very least it keeps me from dwelling on the past so much."

Haku had only a limited grasp on personal space and social etiquette, so perhaps Sasuke should not have been surprised when the older boy took his hand gently and squeezed it. His eyes were sad, but oddly warm as he looked up at Sasuke. "I'm sorry," he said simply, pausing for a moment before continuing. "Maybe one day I'll be able to help you get your revenge." Sasuke looked down at him for a long time before shrugging, looking away uncomfortably and taking his hand back.

"Maybe, but it's not good to dwell on. I'm going to bed; I'll see you in the morning." He pushed off the railing and stepped to the door, pausing there to look back and nod to Haku. "Thanks." Then he vanished into the darkened apartment, leaving the other boy to peer after him with the ghost of a somber smile on his lips.

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Hinata stirred from her sleep, blinking her eyes open slowly. It was still dark outside, and from what she could see of the moon through the window it was only a little after midnight. A muffled noise kept rising up periodically from somewhere outside of the bedroom door, and it was likely what had awoken her. She slipped out of bed, padding over to and opening the door cautiously. The sound – actually several sounds, it seemed now – was coming from the living room. She could hear them more clearly now, like the low noises made by an angry wolf. Hinata drew in a sharp breath and moved silently from the doorway. _Naruto-kun._

As soon as she rounded the corner to the living room she froze, staring wide-eyed at the couch where Naruto lay. He was covered in a cold sweat that glistened in the glow of the orange chakra that surrounded him in a thin haze. His expression was strained and . . . Angry. The noises Hinata had heard were occasional snarls and harsh growls coming from Naruto's own mouth. He was twisting and turning on the sofa, obviously troubled and restless in his slumber.

She went to him immediately, feet silent on the floor. "Naruto-kun," she whispered worriedly, placing a hand on his bare shoulder and trying not to think about the physical contact. He groaned and tried to swat at her hand in his sleep, but she held firm and shook him. "Naruto-kun." Hinata's voice came with more urgency now, and she shook him again harder still.

Bleary, sanguine eyes opened slowly beneath her, and she took in another breath at the sight of his pupils. Naruto's eyes went wide with panic and he sat up abruptly, nearly throwing Hinata back with the movement. He looked around wildly, breathing too quickly. Naruto was in a panic.

"Hey," she said as gently as she could, keeping her voice hushed. "Calm down, Naruto-kun. You're okay." His head whipped around and he stared at her for a long moment, and after a time his breathing began to slow. Normally Hinata might get flustered at the extremely close proximity of Naruto's face to her own, but at the moment she was taken in by his eyes. She had seen them change from afar, and even seen them red up close in Wave Country. But this was the first time she saw them change back up close. The crimson irises slowly gained blue, transitioning from malevolence into a rich purple calm. Halfway through the spectrum to a lighter indigo his pupils started retracting, rounding out to dilated spheres as the surrounding color settled on a familiar bright blue.

"Hinata-chan?" he whispered, now looking confused and frightened. "Did I wake you up? I was having . . . I was having a nightmare, I think." She shook her head and touched his arm; he was trembling.

"It's alright. I came out and saw you covered in the Kyuubi's chakra, and when you sat up your eyes were red . . ." She trailed off and looked away from him, thankful to the darkness for hiding her rising blush. Naruto blinked at her and sighed unsteadily, leaning slowly back down to lay on his back. He grabbed a shirt from beside the couch and began wiping the moisture from his skin as he spoke.

"I think . . . I think I was dreaming about the Kyuubi, or something. But it was like I _was_ the Kyuubi, somehow. It was so vivid and felt so real. It even seemed . . . familiar. I know it doesn't make sense, but that's just how it felt." He was still shaking as he dropped the shirt back to the floor, closing his eyes again for a while before grinning sheepishly up at Hinata, who was still perched beside him on the edge of the sofa. "Thanks for waking me up. That was . . . Scary."

"O-of course," Hinata responded quietly, still looking down. Her index fingers were pressed together in her old nervous habit. "I'll let you get back to sleep," she mumbled, moving to rise quickly. She was stopped, however, by Naruto's hand placed atop her own. She blinked and looked back to him. The boy wasn't looking at her, and something told her that he was just as glad for the flush-concealing darkness as she was at the moment.

"Can you – I mean," he started awkwardly, not sure how to get the words out. "Do you think you could stay, just for a while?" Naruto couldn't quite get anything else out. He wanted to tell her how frightening the dreams had been, and how simply by being there she made him feel calmer. But none of that made it to his mouth, so he just stayed there, feeling more dumb by the second for even asking.

Hinata chewed at her lower lip and turned an undocumented shade of red at his request. But the feeling was only a natural response; she could see and feel how scared and vulnerable he felt. Using the Kyuubi's chakra was taking a toll on him mentally as well. As a response she sank down next to him slowly, pulling a discarded blanket up and over them both. She was all too aware of him as she positioned herself carefully to face away and out into the room, trying to be considerate of his personal space while respecting his request to have her nearby. There was a part of her – a fairly large part, she admitted to herself – that wanted Naruto to put his arm around her. But it was a selfish thought, she told herself; she was there to comfort him right now.

Naruto lay completely still for a long moment, not even daring to breathe until he had to. When he had asked her to stay he hadn't meant quite like that, but before he could think to tell her as much he couldn't help but notice how warm she was. He couldn't think of a way to describe it, save to say that it was incredibly nice feeling. As she turned away he mirrored her position, thinking it the most respectful way to go, turning to face the back of the couch so that they were back-to-back.

He smiled a tired, bashful smile as sleep threatened to take him again a few minutes later. His hand lifted slightly to move back, and he found her own resting close by. With hardly a thought their fingers twined together, finding a comfortable position to rest in as Naruto whispered behind Hinata. "Thanks."

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The next morning, as Sasuke, Hinata, Naruto, and Haku were eating breakfast at Ichiraku, Kakashi returned to Konoha. He appeared on the stool next to Sasuke, sitting as if he had been there the whole time.

"Yo," he greeted them casually. "How was training with Team Gai?" They gave him their accounts individually, noting high and low points as well as their progress. Naruto, after a glance towards the counter and the kindly owner, noted his 'special training' was progressing well with some minor complications. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at that, but was tactful enough not to ask about it until later. "And what did you learn from them?"

"That I don't want to have to see Gai and Lee crying and holding each other ever again," Sasuke muttered. Naruto snorted and choked a little on his ramen, and Hinata stifled a giggle. "I know I learned how much of a difference one year can make. They're strong, don't get me wrong, but I think given the same amount of time to train we'd be able to beat them consistently. Fighting a weapons specialist was interesting, though. I thought it was kind of silly at first, but I learned pretty fast that Tenten's skill is nothing to scoff at."

"Heh, she got so mad when you broke her quarterstaff yesterday, Hinata-chan" Naruto teased. She ducked her head and looked guiltily embarrassed, though she couldn't help but smile a little. "I know I learned not to get a hundred and twenty-six tenketsu hit in one attack," he continued wryly. "And that Hinata's cousin is a jerk. But Tenten was really nice, and like Sasuke said it was really challenging sparring with her. I think the most important thing I got was from Lee, though; he's basically a taijutsu master, but he got there through hard work alone. Even though he can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu, he's determined to be a great ninja. I think that's really cool."

"I um," Hinata started, fidgeting with her fingers under the counter. "Sasuke and Naruto-kun covered most of it, I think. But I did learn some better jyuken techniques from watching Neji-niisan." Naruto glowered at that, but couldn't argue with her. Like Sasuke had pointed out, the other genin had trained for an extra year after the academy. He had to admit – begrudgingly, of course – that Neji could fight better than Hinata. "And also that adding variety to our training might prove useful."

Kakashi nodded once. "Good. Gai is eccentric, but he's one of the strongest jounin in the village, and an old friend of mine. I had been hoping that you might learn something from his team." He was quiet for a few seconds before continuing, tone casual and conversational. "Well," he said, raising a hand to Teuchi to place an order. "When I reported in with the Hokage this morning I learned something pretty interesting." They all turned to him curiously, though as far as they could tell his expression remained neutral. "Apparently the next chuunin exams are being held in Konoha, and they start in two weeks. I was thinking about it while I was away, and you all are very well developed and talented for your age." Haku still seemed confused, but Sasuke raised both eyebrows in surprise. Hinata blinked, then her eyes widened in realization. Naruto considered Kakashi's words for a few seconds before grinning broadly. The jounin looked over at them finally, tilting his head and smirking under his mask.

"How would you three like to take the Chuunin Exam?"

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**Author's Note:**

Heya folks. Sorry for the slightly longer-than-normal wait on this chapter. My work schedule changed recently, and on top of odd hours for writing I'm having to juggle coordination with Rhi (my beta, who was kind enough to edit this chapter for me).

I saw a comment or two on chapters being entirely in bold, and after a few experiments I discovered that chapters 2 and 3 are indeed bold, but only if viewed on a mobile platform. Rhi and I are working on fixing that (somehow), but in the meantime please accept my belated apology for the inconvenience.

Two additional notes: I removed the prologue in chapter 1, for several reasons. The most prominent is that I never actually liked it, truth be told; I think that I wrote it poorly and that it took away from the story itself. As stated in the new chapter 1 note, the events that it alluded to will still come to pass. I just felt that the story flowed better without it included. The second note is that I started editing a few words, namely those like "chuunin" where previously I only used one "u"; I now use two. It's basically for consistency's sake.

Thank you for all of the follows and favorites, and especially the reviews. I'll say it time and time again: I'm only encouraged to write more every time I see them.

See you next time!


	10. The First Exam

**Chapter 10 – The First Exam**

The air stirred about restlessly, too sluggish to be considered a breeze but with enough force behind it to tousle Hinata's hair. She swept her bangs away from concerned eyes and focused her Byakugan on Naruto. He was sitting just across from her at the center of the small clearing, with his legs crossed and his hands relaxed, facing palm-up on his knees. His eyes were closed, and aside from a slightly furrowed brow he seemed calm. A shroud of orange chakra surrounded him, though it seemed to roil less than it had previously. A single long tail of the same energy swished back and forth behind him. After a few minutes he finally blinked his eyes open and grimaced. Hinata winced at the sight; Naruto's pupils were cat-like slits, surrounded by the unnatural red that she now associated with the Kyuubi.

"Yeah, that's it. He said that's pretty much all the chakra that can get out unless I really 'lose it.' I'm not sure what that means, exactly," he admitted. "What's it look like?"

"It's . . ." Hinata hesitated, squinting a little at his torso. "It looks almost normal, Naruto-kun. The Kyuubi's chakra is a different color than yours like it always is, but it looks like it's started to flow with your own instead of on its own path." She started to chew on her lip as she released the Byakugan, lifting her gaze to his own. Naruto's eyes were still florid, but his excited smile lessened their frightening effect some.

"Well it took almost two weeks, but I did it!" He sighed happily and fell backwards into the grass, causing tiny wisps of chakra to break off and drift upward. It was a mesmerizing display that had Hinata watching for a few seconds as several dozen tendrils of red-orange energy floated up and disappeared.

"Naruto-kun?" she started, looking off into the trees. Naruto lifted his head to look at her curiously; he could always tell when she was distressed in some way. "Ever since Kakashi told us about the chuunin exam you've been training like this. I know the Kyuubi said that you need to expose yourself to its chakra as often and as long as possible to be able to control it, but . . . Don't you think there might be some side effects?"

"Like what?" Naruto asked. It was true that he had spent the majority of the previous two weeks nigh constantly coated in the demon fox's chakra, but he hadn't considered the idea before.

"Like . . . Like your eyes, or maybe something more important." Hinata still wouldn't look at him. She was sitting nearby, with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. "It's been taking longer for your eyes to change back recently. What if they get stuck like that?"

"Hinata-chan," Naruto began gently. They had discussed this once or twice already, and he knew it worried her. "Even if my eyes do get stuck all weird and red like that, it's still me right?"

"What if it stops being you?" she questioned quietly, real fear in her voice. "What if . . . What if the Kyuubi is just trying to slowly take over? It could all be a trick."

_**Your girlfriend is smart, kid, **_the Kyuubi chuckled in his head. _**You didn't even consider something like that, did you?**_

_Of course not,_ he snapped back, irritated. _I told you I want to work as a team. I'm not trying to control you like everybody keeps saying, either. I want to believe that maybe you and I can just work together; don't you think that's the best chance we have to survive?_

_**Maybe, maybe not. **_As usual, when it came to this topic the fox was as cryptic as ever. Naruto was beginning to think it was fun for him. _**But it's not a bad idea for you to get used to my chakra. Like you already discovered, when you get too emotional it just comes out regardless of what I want. If you can at least handle the chakra that comes out, it'll be less of a problem for you. And then I don't have to worry about you getting yourself killed.**_

_Didn't you also say that when I get really mad the seal cracks or something?_

_**No, fool. I said more chakra can force its way through; there's a difference.**_

"Naruto-kun?" He blinked a few times, refocusing his vision on Hinata. She was looking at him now, concern written all over her features.

"Sorry; I was asking the fox about it. He said ah . . ." Naruto hesitated. "Well he didn't really say, I guess." Her lips pursed and tears started to well up at the corners of her eyes. "But hey, Hinata?" He was sitting up now, looking down at his hands with a sober expression. She blinked several times to clear away the unshed tears; now wasn't the time to cry. Naruto never left the suffix off of her name unless he was speaking seriously. "You know me. Do you think I'd let a dumb fox demon get to me like that?" Hinata hesitated only a moment before shaking her head. Naruto smiled. "If I ever change, I'm counting on you to smack some sense into me. Promise?" He was still smiling when he finally looked up to meet her eyes, and his own were back to bright blue despite the red chakra.

The air left Naruto's lungs as Hinata collided with him a breath later. As they hit the ground his concentration faltered, and the cloak of red chakra exploded outward. It rushed up and around in a brief gust of wind, writhing and dissipating in a breathtaking display like a detonating firework. When it cleared Naruto was back to normal, and he was returning Hinata's embrace with equal fervor.

"I promise," she mumbled into his chest. After a moment she sighed and relaxed her hold on him, the color rising in her cheeks a testament to reality catching up to reaction. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I'm just . . . I'm worried."

"I know; I am too," he admitted a little abashedly. Hinata looked up; that wasn't like the ever-confident Naruto she knew. He sounded . . . Embarrassed, almost, and even vulnerable. As soon as she had lifted her head, they blinked at one another a few times, both flushing deeply a moment later. Hinata's face was so close that Naruto could feel her breath on his lips, though she inhaled sharply a moment later.

They lay there for what felt like an hour, frozen and staring at one another. Heat rose in Naruto's chest unbidden, and he could feel a dozen butterflies trying to escape his stomach. Hinata's eyes were very big in such close proximity, and very pretty. In fact, it struck him then just how pretty she was in general. Her skin was smooth and fair, and her ebon tresses framed lovely, delicate features. For some reason her lips drew his attention more than anything else; they were parted only slightly, as if she had been caught at the beginning of a gasp.

Hinata was mortified. When she had practically tackled Naruto it had been on an impulse. Now she was lying there, unable to move, staring at him like a fool and noticing far too many details. The way he held her caused a brief moment of lightheadedness, even if he didn't have much of a choice given their positions. The three whisker-like scars on either side of his face seemed to stand out amid his blush; Hinata couldn't help but find the accents appealing. She found herself focusing on his lips, which were pulled into a very small, nervous smile.

"Er . . . Hi." The two of them snapped out of their daze, blinking rapidly at one another before lifting their gazes to the edge of the small glade. Sasuke was standing there with one eyebrow raised, and the smirk he wore looked far too smug. Haku stood just behind him, peering over his shoulder to see what was going on. The older boy's eyes widened slightly and he smiled, stifling a giggle. "You did want us to meet you here, right?"

Strangely enough, Naruto and Hinata did not scramble apart immediately. Instead she pushed herself back up slowly, almost daintily, until she was sitting back a short distance away. Naruto, as red as he could possibly get, sat up and rubbed at the back of his head. He wore a broad, embarrassed grin and seemed to be trying to speak. Hinata was already pushing her index fingers together and staring at the ground; Sasuke was sure that he could see steam rising from her ears.

"Ah, yeah; morning Sasuke, and hey Haku," Naruto started finally after finding his voice. "By the way we were just talking." He said it a bit too quickly, even though it was technically true. Sasuke merely held up his hands in a pacifying gesture, and Haku kept trying to hold back gleeful laughter. "Whatever," Naruto muttered, scratching at his neck again before continuing. "Are you ready to register?"

"Of course," Sasuke said coolly, leaning against a nearby tree. "How'd your training go?" Naruto shrugged, then grinned and winked at him. Sasuke returned his smile. "Glad to hear it. Just remember what Kakashi said: try to avoid doing anything with that whenever possible."

"I know, I know," Naruto sighed, rising and stretching upward before offering a hand to Hinata. He had to gently nudge her shoulder to get her attention from the ground, but after a moment she took his hand and stood carefully. "Let's go; I don't want to be the last team to register!" Sasuke rolled his eyes but turned to leave the enclosure. Haku cast a glance back at them, included a wink for good measure, before hurrying after the other boy. Naruto flushed again, but it didn't stop him from keeping ahold of Hinata's hand. She hadn't let go, either.

* * *

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* * *

"I thought Kakashi-sensei said room 301," Naruto said, sounding perplexed. "Why are there so many people on the second floor?" They were standing just outside the academy, and the two boys were squinting up at the building like they could see through it. Hinata, on the other hand, had no trouble seeing through the walls to inform them of what was going on inside.

"There's an illusion set up on the first two floors; it's not a very complicated genjutsu, but it seems to have most of the genin fooled into thinking they're on the third floor." Hinata released her Byakugan, looking back to the entrance nervously. "You were right, Sasuke. The exam starts before we even turn in our applications."

"It only makes sense," he shrugged, stepping forward with his friends. "That way they can weed out the ones that shouldn't be attempting the test in the first place. Like Naruto here, who couldn't even recognize the genjutsu." Sasuke punched Naruto's arm playfully, eliciting a fake pout from the blond.

"Hey, it's not my fault you two have fancy eyes and don't even have to try!" he said defensively, though he couldn't help but grin. "I was never good with genjutsu anyway; I'm just lucky to have you both to watch my back, right?" Sasuke rolled his eyes and Hinata giggled lightly. "Oh whatever; let's just get to the third floor and turn these in. Jerks."

The trio entered together, each immediately forming the tiger seal and whispering 'Kai' to dispel the effects of the genjutsu. The walls around them seemed to bend and stretch momentarily before settling back. A few of the signs above the classrooms whirled and changed back to their original numbers, and the indicator over the stairs detailing which floor they were on blurred from '2' to '1'.

"I can't believe anybody would fall for this," Sasuke muttered, taking to the stairs with the other two. "I should've convinced Haku to come instead of heading back home; he would have gotten a kick out of this."

"I think it's a good thing," Naruto shrugged as they stepped on to the second floor. "Kakashi-sensei said that these exams are dangerous; genin have died in them before. I'd want to make sure that nobody enters the exam that shouldn't be there, too." Hinata nodded in agreement, and Sasuke shrugged. He could see the reasoning, but the illusion had been so weak he would be surprised if anybody fell for it. He was forced to reconsider that, however, when they passed the hallway containing room 201.

Perhaps two dozen genin were gathered around the door confronting two young Konoha shinobi, who were apparently blocking the entrance to the faux destination. Oddly enough, Team Gai was there too. As Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata rounded the corner to take the next set of stairs without halting, the two guarding the door to the fake room looked at them sharply.

"Where're you three going?" the genin wearing a bandana demanded, calling down the hall to them. "You're supposed to turn in your applications here, not that we're going to let you." He smirked confidently at them, then blinked a few times as they ignored him and continued walking.

"I guess we're not taking the exam then," Sasuke said evenly. Naruto flashed them a cheeky smile, and Hinata ducked her head in a polite bow before they passed into the next hallway. "Why do you think Team Gai was there?" he asked as they reached the final staircase. "Neji could have seen through that easily, and I doubt Tenten and Lee were fooled."

"They might be trying to fool the other teams," Hinata offered. "They didn't seem to be their normal selves, at least from what I could see in passing."

"Probably," Naruto agreed, glancing around as they ascended to the third floor. "I think by now we know how good those three are. There's no way they'd really get fooled by this. Ah, there's the room!" He pointed towards the end of the hall at the door marked '301'. To their surprise, Kakashi was standing in front of it.

"Yo. I see you didn't get distracted downstairs; well done," he said calmly. "There wasn't much of a point in deceiving you about entering the exam; I knew you'd all show up." They stopped in front of him and looked collectively curious. "You can't take the chuunin exam unless you're on a team," he explained, smirking at the comprehension rising on their faces. "So if one of you had decided not to, none of you would have been able to. Get it?" Each of them nodded, though Hinata paled slightly. "But I was sure you'd all come, like I said.

"Now, one last thing," Kakashi continued, stepping to the side. He turned to them, leaning against the wall, and offered his signature smile that they had come to recognize by only his one eye. "Be safe, and do your best."

"Yes, sensei!" they voiced together. Their teacher nodded at the door, and after taking only a moment to glance at one another, they moved together as one.

Room 301 was surprisingly packed. Almost every space at the long desks was occupied, and there were a few teams standing in the back of the room where they had entered. Almost every eye turned to the trio as they entered, though most only glanced uninterestedly. A select group, however, took notice and approached immediately.

"Sasuke, Hinata, Naruto; long time no see." Shikamaru strode casually to them, looking as bored and nonchalant as ever. "I've hardly even glimpsed you around town since we graduated. What've you been up to?"

"Hey, Shikamaru," Naruto greeted him, grinning. "Kakashi-sensei's been keeping us busy with missions and training nonstop. I think we've had one day off in the last month."

"That sounds . . . troublesome," he returned, "Kind of like this exam. Since you're here, that makes three teams from our class that were recommended. I think people are pretty upset that so many rookies got in."

"Yeah well, we earned it," Ino huffed, stalking up behind him. She looked flatly at Naruto for a moment, stared daggers at Hinata, then cooed at Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun, how come you never come to see me at my flower shop? You're so coy!"

"I have better things to do," Sasuke responded flatly, meeting her amorous gaze with an even one of his own. "I'd rather train." Ino visibly deflated at that, hanging her head and turning to trundle back to a corner. Naruto felt a little guilty about his stifled snicker, though Hinata gave him a look that set his expression back to neutral. Sasuke rolled his eyes when she gave him a similar glance. "Sorry Ino; I meant that I've just been busy." The blonde girl was one to bounce back quickly, it seemed. She was back next to Shikamaru in an instant.

"Oh I couldn't be upset with you, Sasuke-kun. So do you think you could drop in after the chuunin exams? We could make it a date!" She giggled and blushed at her own words. Sasuke had a hard time keeping a straight face.

"I'll uh . . . Think about it." Ino seemed happy enough with his noncommittal response, spinning off to gloat at Sakura. Sasuke grimaced as soon as her back was turned, and Shikamaru grinned at him.

"Great, now she'll never shut up. Thanks, Sasuke," he commented wryly. Before he could continue, however, the doors opened again, and the room became unnaturally silent. The hair on the back of Naruto's neck stood up, and he turned sharply to regard the newcomers.

A boy of average height, and who was likely no older than Naruto, stood with his arms folded in the doorway. He was flanked on one side by a taller, stocky boy wearing all black, including a hood with two protrusions that looked like pointed ears. His face had a number of markings on it, painted or tattooed in a patterns of dark maroon. A bulky bundle of bandages was slung over his shoulder, worn like an oblong backpack. On his left was a blonde girl wearing a dismissive expression, and she was looking about the room with mild distaste. A massive iron fan rested on her back, and she carried it with the confidence of one who knew how to use it. She appeared to be wearing a kind of fishnet material under a light violet top, a garment that was somewhere between a tunic and a dress.

Naruto hardly noticed the two older genin, his attention focused almost entirely on the center figure. The boy had hair the color of fresh blood, with a symbol above his left eye sharing a similar hue. His eyes were green, but so pale that they were nearly white, and they were bordered by thick black lines that only brought them more attention. He was a small boy, like someone who hadn't put any effort at all into physical training. The large gourd strapped to his back continued the theme for the team. His expression was unnervingly blank, and his gaze was settled directly on Naruto.

_**He's bad news, kid,**_ the Kyuubi growled. _**You can feel what he is too, can't you?**_

_I . . . I'm not sure exactly. But I feel _something. _He's . . . like me, isn't he?_

_**Aye, that's Shukaku's chakra alright; I'd know that bloodlust anywhere. So that's where that mad raccoon dog has been all these years. **_Naruto simply stared at the newcomer, fighting a rush of emotions that scaled from extreme relief to stark fear. He could _feel _the other boy somehow; he could sense his demon, waiting just beneath the surface. But it was the ratio of presences that was the stunning thing about the red-head. _**Yes, boy. That one's already submitted to the Ichibi.**_

"Naruto-kun . . . ?" He tore his eyes away as Hinata spoke and touched his arm. Naruto closed his eyes and shook his head, causing her to cast a worried look at the three shinobi. They were from the Hidden Sand she knew, judging by their hitai-ate, but aside from being foreign ninja they didn't strike her as particularly odd. The younger boy at the center was exuding a reasonably powerful killing intent, however, and it was enough to send a chill down her spine.

"What's wrong, Gaara?" the blonde girl asked carefully, glancing from Naruto to the boy in front of her.

"Are these kids bothering you?" The other boy asked lazily, adjusting the weight on his back. "I don't have a problem thinning the ranks before we start; you know how I feel about short people."

"Kankuro," Gaara started in a deadly, quiet voice. The other two froze and took a step back. "We are guests in Konohagakure, and here solely for the chuunin exam. Do not disgrace our village more than you already have today."

"Y-yes, of course. I'm sorry, Gaara." Kankuro wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow before nodding to Team Seven. "Sorry." He didn't sound sincere, but he did seem fearful. Both of the obviously older genin were _scared_ of the younger boy. And not just frightened, but terrified on a whole different level than normal fear. And Naruto knew why.

"Temari, Kankuro; let's go. We don't want to draw further attention to ourselves." As silent as a specter Gaara moved forward down the center aisle of the room, his gaze never wavering except to glance one last time at Naruto as he passed. The buzz of conversation throughout the room started up again in a hurry, as if every genin was only interested in ignoring the three who had entered.

"They seem confident," Shikamaru commented evenly, watching the retreating trio with his eyes narrowed slightly. He shrugged a moment later and turned back to the corner that held the rest of their graduating class.. "Whatever; come catch up with the rest of us before the exam starts. We've still got half an hour or so." Naruto nodded to him, but waited a moment with his friends before following.

"That red-head with the gourd on his back . . ." he started, speaking as quietly as he could. He looked around before shaking his head. "He's like me." It took only a second for them to realize what he meant. Hinata's lips parted in a silent gasp, which she covered with one hand. Sasuke's eyes widened, and he had to force himself not to look again towards the boy. "I'll tell you about it later. I think Kakashi-sensei should know, too." They nodded, sharing a grave expression before walking after Shikamaru.

When they reached their old academy friends, it was a scene of barely contained chaos. Ino and Sakura were arguing about something, and the pink-haired kunoichi was breaking off every few words to bicker with Kiba about something else. The Inuzuka boy had his small dog, Akamaru, perched on his head as usual, and was retorting Sakura's periodic remarks with an equal amount of enthusiasm. Choji stood crunching through a signature bag of chips next to an ever-stoic Shino.

"I got over him months ago," Sakura was saying haughtily, with her arms folded and chin raised. "Like I'd believe Sasuke would go on a date with you anyway. And I swear Kiba," she growled, rounding on the boy for a moment and jabbing a finger at his chest. "If you make one more joke about it I'll put you through the floor!" Oddly enough, Kiba backed off at that, swallowing and looking genuinely scared. As Sakura turned she saw Sasuke and his team, and an embarrassed flush rose immediately to her face. "I ah . . . I mean – Well, right?"

"I said I'd think about it," Sasuke shrugged, not interested in getting involved. "Hey Shino." He walked over to the tall, silent boy without a second look for the girls. Shino had been one of the only other individuals in their grade that Sasuke had spoken with much since the Uchiha clan massacre. Their conversations were often so quiet and brief that nobody knew what they even discussed, but Naruto and Hinata had always just been glad he had somebody else to talk to on occasion.

"Sakura's as scary as always, huh?" Naruto murmured to Kiba with a grin, nudging the other boy in the ribs. "How've things been with Team Eight?"

"Sakura has some freakish strength and a temper to use it often," he said somberly, turning to Naruto and Hinata to shake his head. "But things aren't bad. It was rough at the start; Kurenai-sensei rode us for weeks about our teamwork. I think Shino could get along with anybody if he had to work with them, but ah . . . Sakura and I used to argue a lot more. We did a C-rank mission two weeks ago though," he continued, puffing out his chest a bit, "And . . . Well we handled it okay. We got attacked by some thugs, though, and our client got hurt a little because of a . . . mishap."

"Kiba and Sakura decided it prudent to have a debate in the midst of the assault," Shino explained calmly, stepping over with Sasuke. What little could be seen of his expression was blank, and his words were similarly matter-of-fact. "The resulting miscommunications caused injury to the man we were assigned to protect. Such an event has not occurred since."

"Yeah," Kiba sighed, scratching at the side of his head and looking embarrassed. "Shino sat us down and made us talk it out. It hasn't been perfect since then – it's _impossible _to get along with her – but we can work together at least. How about you three? We all heard about that B-rank mission; what exactly happened?"

"Well, it didn't start out like that. It was just a C-rank escort mission to the Land of Waves. But . . ." As Naruto gave a synopsis of the mission, the other genin gave him their attention. Ino and Sakura even stopped quibbling to listen. He didn't dwell on any details, for several reasons. Iruka had reminded him repeatedly over the years about boasting, and as much as he wanted to exaggerate and explain his own role, it also would have brought up questions he wouldn't want to answer. He did make sure to embellish on Hinata taking down one of the Demon Brothers – leaving out the details of her technique, of course. Sasuke's maneuver to break Zabuza's hold on Kakashi was also described thoroughly. When he got to explaining the bridge, however, Naruto only mentioned what happened to Haku and Zabuza in passing. Sasuke and Hinata, however, didn't let him get away with that so easily.

"Naruto finished off Haku and killed Zabuza," Sasuke inserted smoothly. "Hinata and I were both unconscious at the time."

"He saved our lives," Hinata agreed, smiling softly. The other genin looked collectively stunned and impressed.

"You killed a jounin?" Kiba burst out, eyes wide.

"Kakashi-sensei had already beaten him down," Naruto lied, shrugging. "Anyway the important thing was we all survived, and we completed the mission. It could have gone a lot worse."

"Haku . . . Isn't Haku the name of the boy that's living at your apartment, Sasuke?" Sakura had posed the question, furrowing her brows a moment later. "He's not . . ."

"Same one," Sasuke responded coolly. She balked at that, blinking several times at him and unable to form a reply. "He was being manipulated by Zabuza; he's a nice guy, and a skilled shinobi. _And_ he's our friend now."

"That mission sounds like it was troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. "It's good that everything worked out, though."

"You rookies should quiet down." A grey-haired genin, several years older than they, was walking towards them with a scolding expression. "Have you taken a look around you yet?" Despite the boy's abrasive words, Naruto did turn to gaze towards the rest of the shinobi in the room. Many of them were either shooting annoyed glances towards their group or simply glaring outright. "Everybody here is tense," he continued in a quieter tone, stopping close by and pushing a pair of round-lensed glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I recommend keeping quiet so you don't draw attention to yourselves."

"Who are you to tell us that?" Ino demanded, looking obstinate.

"Yakushi Kabuto, and I have enough experience with this exam to know what I'm talking about. This will be my seventh time taking it." Ino paled slightly, and the remaining genins' reactions were largely similar. Shikamaru tsked and looked annoyed, and despite how little they got along Sakura and Kiba had matching reactions of disbelief, complete with wide eyes and with mouths agape. Choji's face had gone ashen, and he was eating at twice his normal speed. The only ones not to react much were Shino and Team Seven. The Aburame appeared to be as impassive as ever, and Sasuke could have rivaled him for nonchalance. Naruto shrugged, and Hinata simply clutched at the hem of her jacket.

"I guess that means the exam's hard," Naruto said after a moment, eyeing Kabuto dubiously. "But it also means you have a lot of experience with it, right?" The older genin smiled mischievously, but nodded.

"I've managed to collect quite a bit of data on the exam, and of those participating. I suppose I'd be willing to share it with you all, since you're probably the only rookies here." Without further ceremony he dropped to the ground, pulling out a stack of cards in the same motion. He set them face down on the ground in front of him, flipping the top one over to reveal a blank white front. "Here's the general information; is there anything in specific you'd like to know?" He pressed a finger to the card and it released a small puff of smoke, revealing an image of the countries surrounding the Land of Fire. At the edge of the card was the number '153', and atop six of the shown countries were green bars, apparently corresponding in height to the number of genin present from each village. Konoha had the largest number present – likely due to the exam's location – while the Sound Village had the smallest at only one team of three genin.

"That's neat," Naruto grinned, though his features smoothed over immediately as he thought of who he wanted information on. "Do you have any information about Gaara, from Suna?" Kabuto tilted his head to the side, but nodded and produced another card from the top of the pile.

"Gaara of the Sand," he said, examining the profile. "Skills unknown. He's completed eight C-rank missions and . . . one B-rank, it looks like; that's impressive for a genin, but it's not the strangest part." Naruto raised an eyebrow at him, and Kabuto adjusted his glasses again before speaking. "He's returned from every mission unharmed."

"He came back from a B-rank mission – as a genin, no less – without getting hurt at all?" Sasuke asked, sounding both impressed and incredulous.

"It looks like it. But don't be so surprised; every nation sends their best genin to the chuunin exam. It's a show of power, in a way. Though, they say it's just a way to improve relations between nations, and to promote worthy genin of course." Team Gai entered the classroom during his explanation, making their way into the crowd to find a space in the rows. Lee grinned at them and gave what was likely intended to be a furtive thumbs-up, though it turned out to be as obvious as his smile. Neji ignored them completely, but Tenten offered a smirk and even winked at Sasuke.

"Looks like they made it just fine," Naruto chuckled. A few of the other Konoha genin looked curiously at the members of Team Gai, then at Naruto. "We trained with them a little a few weeks ago. They're really strong. Say," he said, turning back to Kabuto. "Do you have anything on Hyuuga Neji?"

"Of course; it's easy to get information on our own genin." He repeated the card flipping process and examined the revealed charts. "It seems that he is fairly well balanced in his skills, but excels in taijutsu above the others. He's completed twenty D-rank and eleven C-rank missions, and he's one year older than you. He is considered a Hyuuga clan genius, and likely would have taken the chuunin exam last year had his team been ready for it. Maito Gai is his squad leader, and his teammates are Rock Lee and Tenten."

"Hm, nothing I didn't already know I guess." Naruto shrugged. "Thanks for the help, though."

"Of course," Kabuto smiled, gathering up his cards and rising. "We're all Konoha genin, after all. Even if we are pitted against one another in this exam, we should never forget that we're from the same village." That made Naruto grin, and he laced his fingers behind his head and nodded emphatically.

"Quiet down you punks!" Naruto had an affirming response at the tip of his tongue, but it died as the commanding voice rang out and a large cloud of smoke burst up at the front of the room. A tall, intimidating man wearing a black trench coat and bandana stood at the front of a small crowd of chuunin. He had harsh features, made all the more intense by the several long scars cutting down the length of his face. "My name is Morino Ibiki, and I am the examiner for the first test of this Chuunin Selection Exam."

* * *

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* * *

Ten minutes later all of the genin were sitting at their desks, having turned in the applications in exchange for a randomly assigned seat. Naruto had drawn number 53, and at first Hinata had been given the seat directly to his right. It wasn't long before she was moved, however; the examiners didn't want any teams sitting together. All of the chuunin proctors sat along the walls, holding clipboards and maintaining ominous expressions.

"I'm going to explain the rules while the tests are being handed out. Pay attention, because I will not repeat myself or take any questions." He wrote in short, rapid motions on the chalkboard as he spoke, emphasizing his words with each stroke. "You are all given ten points at the beginning of the exam, and the test itself consists of ten questions, each of which are worth one point. For every question you get wrong, you will lose one point.

"Second, your team's total points will determine whether or not you pass." There were a lot of mutters at that, and Sakura even began to exclaim something before she was cut off. "Quiet! Just sit there and listen. You damn genin act like I don't have my reasons.

"Third, if one of the examiners sees you cheating, you will lose two points. That means there will be some of you who will fail before the hour is up. If you try to cheat sloppily you'll not only hurt yourself; your team will suffer the consequences as well. You don't deserve to become a chuunin unless you can act like a first-rate ninja. Got it?" The room was filled with stiff nods for a second before Ibiki concluded his speech.

"Lastly, if any member of your team gets a zero on this exam, your whole team fails." There were a few gasps at that, but nobody even thought of arguing with the man now. He looked around one last time, smirked, then barked his last instructions. "You have one hour to complete the exam. The tenth problem will be given out fifteen minutes before the test concludes." He took a look at the clock; it was only a few seconds until 3:30. "Begin!"

_I know . . . Absolutely none of these questions._ Naruto stared at his paper nervously, going through the problems. Each one seemed more difficult than the next, to the point that several looked positively absurd. _We are so__–_

_**You're an idiot, **_the Kyuubi drawled, yawning in the back of his mind. _**Think for a second about what he said. I know you're not that thick, kid.**_ Naruto glowered, but wracked his brain for a few seconds. He could feel the fox's eyes roll before he started figuring it out.

_The test encourages us to cheat, but only if we can do it well,_ he concluded, blinking down at his paper. He could have hit himself for missing it; Iruka and Kakashi had continuously tried to drill into him the importance of thoroughly examining situations. Kakashi had called it seeing 'underneath the underneath' or something, though Iruka just told him to use his head. _Alright, so how am I going to cheat?_

_**Beats me. I can only give you the answer to two of these; I'm fairly certain they were written to be complicated. I'd be willing to bet that your girlfriend knows a few answers, but you'll have to find the smart kid in the room to find the rest from.**_ Naruto blinked and picked up his pencil, nodding and scribbling down the correct formulas and answers for questions three and eight. The information had just popped into his head and was as clear as if he had just read it himself.

After completing the two questions with the Kyuubi's help, Naruto leaned back and feigned a yawning stretch, shrugging his shoulders and thrusting his hands under the desk. He had to stop himself from breaking into a light sweat; he had never been good with delicate jutsu, especially when under pressure. His hands worked as quickly as possible in the limited time that the stretch might be believable, forming a few quick hand signs before he brought them back up. _Fuuton: Wind Whisper._ Naruto concentrated on his friends' chakra signatures, twining his fingers together over his mouth to appear like he was thinking down at his paper.

"Hinata, Sasuke," he mouthed, moving his lips as little as he could. No sound escaped him, but it would travel clearly along the invisible tendrils of air connecting his allies. They had thought up the technique together as a means of communicating short distances without radios, and with Kakashi's help had found a way to make it work. Naruto kept it as short as he could, afraid of his own lack of control. "Fox knew three and eight." He quickly detailed the answers and waited. A minute later Hinata's voice drifted to him in the softest whisper.

"I have one, four, and nine." In short order they had completed five problems of the test, and a few quick glances to the proctors told them that they had not been found out. Hinata finished detailing the three questions she had worked out before Sasuke contacted them, sounding a tad annoyed in his bare mutter.

"Don't know any, but I have a hunch. There're 155 genin in the room; that's two more than there should be. I'm going to try to find them. If that fails, there's always Sakura." Naruto blinked, but then smiled very slightly. If anything Sakura was smart; she had always maintained the top grades in their class when it came to ninja know-how. If anybody could figure out the problems on their own, it was her. He wasn't sure of the purpose behind the two extra genin, but Sasuke seemed to have a good idea.

"I think it's the genin in the center aisle, second row from the front, third from the left," Hinata inserted, and Naruto could almost see her in his mind's eye with her Byakugan active. "He's not doing anything suspicious; he's just writing and looks confident." Sasuke took a few seconds to speak again, but when he did he sounded smug.

"Good catch, Hinata; he's writing down all of the answers without hesitating. I can barely see his hand, but I think I can copy the pencil movements. On two, the formula for the parabola is . . ." He walked them through the complicated second question before communicating the stolen answers from four and five. In the meantime Hinata found who she thought was the second infiltrator, and through him got the sixth answer. By the time they had finished it was just after four o'clock. Each of them turned over their papers and sat back, relieved.

"Even if some of them are wrong, I bet we do better than most. Talk to you in a bit." Naruto grinned and cut the flow of chakra between them, folding his arms trying to relax for the last fifteen minutes until the tenth question was offered.

During the first half hour of the test nearly twenty teams were removed from the room, some of which caused a great deal of commotion. Every now and then an examiner would call out a number, state that they were disqualified, and list the two other numbers corresponding with his or her teammates. Several genin had to be dragged away screaming; it was apparent that this exam meant a lot to some of them.

Fifteen minutes after four, Ibiki walked to the front again, turning to address the classroom. "Alright, put your pencils down. I will now announce the tenth question." A tense, silent room faced the first examiner. Even Naruto was starting to feel nervous again, although it was a reaction to the surroundings more than a lack of personal confidence. "Before I do, there are some special rules that go along with this question in particular. The first is that you can choose whether or not you wish to take the tenth question. If you choose not to, your total points will be reduced to zero, resulting in your team's failure." A chorus of outraged mutters and a few shouts filled the room before he barked for silence again. "The second rule," he continued, hard eyes roaming the room, "Is that if you choose to take the last question, and then get it wrong, you will never be permitted to take the Chuunin Exam again."

"That's bull!" Kiba exclaimed, already on his feet and pointing an accusatory finger at Ibiki. "There's no way they'd let you get away with that; besides, there's plenty of genin here that have taken the exam before!" Ibiki merely chuckled at him, the sound devoid of mirth.

"You kids just drew the short straw this year. I make the rules here." His impassive expression told everybody that he wasn't joking. Naruto blinked several times, halting a rising tide of indignation and recalling what Kakashi had told them before the bell test. It was a trick. Kakashi had never intended to send only one of them back to the academy; he had only said it to test them. Naruto was willing to bet that Ibiki was using the same tactic to scare off anybody who wasn't determined to take the exam. He glanced back to Sasuke, then Hinata, beaming at both of them before settling back in his chair and staring defiantly at Ibiki.

Sasuke smirked and laced his fingers together, propping his elbows on the desk and leaning forward casually. Hinata looked worried, but Naruto's brief show of confidence had assuaged the worst of her anxiety. She had worked it out as well, but there was always a chance that Ibiki wasn't lying. The thought plagued her as he continued, and her grip on her coat tightened slowly.

"So, before I give the last question, I'm offering everybody here the chance to quit. All you need to do is raise your hand, and you'll be able to return to the exam next time. If you don't, it's possible that you'll remain a genin forever." He paused, looking around the room to make sure everybody had gotten the message. As expected, the mixture of nervous emotions ran from extreme anger to bitter defeat. _Perfect._ "Now, if you do not wish to accept the tenth question, raise your hand."

A fragile silence reigned for almost a full minute. Cold sweat covered more than one brow, and several genin even began to hyperventilate. Finally, a man next to Naruto stood up sharply, raising his hand and hanging his head. "I'm quitting. I'm sorry . . . I – I just can't!"

"Number 50 fails. Numbers 130 and 111 leave with him." The genin's words seemed to open a floodgate, and soon a dozen more teams had been cleared from the room. Hinata closed her eyes tightly, her knuckles turning white as they gripped the hem of her coat under the desk. _I'm not going to raise my hand. I trust them. Naruto-kun wouldn't want me to give up._ It was a comforting thought within a sea of doubt, and she held on to it.

Ibiki looked around the room, seeming a little dissatisfied. _Looks like that's it._ As the doors closed behind the last three dejected genin, he gazed around one last time. "Last chance," he growled, seeming to stare into each of them individually. Though several young shinobi were visibly trembling, no one else raised a hand. "Alright then; I like your resolve. For all of those remaining . . ." He paused for effect, enjoying the rising apprehension in the room. "You pass."

"I knew it!" Naruto burst out triumphantly, on his feet in excitement. "Just like Kakashi-sensei!" Ibiki wasn't the only one taken aback by the outburst, but he was the first to recover. For the first time the veteran shinobi grinned.

"What do you mean, 'you pass'?" Sakura demanded. "You never gave us the tenth question!"

"There never was a tenth question," Ibiki stated calmly, lifting his hand to untie his bandana. "Unless you count your choice of deciding whether or not to take the theoretical last question." She looked at him blankly, then sat down heavily.

"So this whole exam was a waste?" Temari asked with a huff.

"No, it wasn't. Those of you that remain all managed to cheat stealthily enough not to be caught. Several of your teams didn't even have a single point deducted. The purpose of the first nine questions was to test your ability to retrieve information without being caught, a fundamental skill of any adept shinobi." Naruto hadn't quite thought it through that thoroughly, but he nodded. It made perfect sense. "But the whole test was a setup for the final question, to put you under stress and strain to find out if you'd snap. Those remaining did not, obviously, and that is one of the most valuable attributes to any ninja." He finished undoing his bandana, lifting it slowly from his head to reveal a horribly marred scalp. There were holes straight through his skull in places, and everywhere else held old burns and deep scars. The room filled with a collective gasp before his expression turned hard again.

"Poor decisions can be made under stressful circumstances, and these decisions can lead to dire consequences for you and your team. As a chuunin you would have to make difficult decisions, including accepting dangerous missions that will put your life in jeopardy, as well as the lives of your allies. There is no time for second guessing, no room for doubt. Uncertainties and danger are part of a shinobi's life. Do not forget the consequences of your decisions." He nodded at them, as if to emphasize his scarred head, before putting his hitai-ate back on.

"If you are still here, it means that you are capable of making those choices. It also means you are able to, in a stressful environment, make the right selection of who to cheat from." Ibiki pointed then at a young man near the front of the room, and at another near the middle. "We snuck in two chuunin who knew the test answers. I assume that the majority of you pinpointed them and copied their answers somehow." Naruto quirked an eyebrow, then grinned broadly. That was what Sasuke had been talking about, and he must have guessed correctly at which person to get answers from.

"You all have the determination required to become chuunin," Ibiki continued, his smirk returning. "Thus, you all have passed the entrance exam. The first test ends here, and I wish you the best of luck in the coming exam." He had hardly finished speaking when the window closest to him shattered inward, sending hundreds of shards of glass about the room. The genin had to cover their heads, and several – including Team Seven – were on their feet and crouched. They relaxed, however, and blinked away confusion as a huge black canvas unfurled directly in front of Ibiki. It read in giant white script: 'Second Examiner, Mitarashi Anko is here!'

"You kids have no time to celebrate!" The kunoichi – presumably Anko – now standing in front of the sign was flashing a toothy grin about the room, seeming almost mad in her jovial enthusiasm. "I am Mitarashi Anko, and I'll be the second examiner for this Chuunin Exam. We're going to the second part now; follow me!"

"Anko, it's not until tomorrow morning," Ibiki sighed, coming out from behind the banner. Anko's expression darkened as she looked about the room, muttering under her breath to the taller man.

"Sixty? That's a bit much; I had hoped to have less than fifteen. You're getting soft, Ibiki."

"It just looks like there are a lot of good students this year," he shrugged.

"Whatever," she said, louder now so that the entire room could hear. "I'll just have to make sure that over half of the remaining teams fail in the next round." Naruto grimaced, and the rest of the room shared similar reactions. "The second exam is actually tomorrow morning; I'll share the details with you there. Ask your team's jounin instructor about the rendezvous time and location. That's all. Dismissed."

Naruto jumped out of his seat the moment Anko had given them permission to leave. Hinata was just rising when he reached her, and she nearly toppled over from the force of his excited hug. The poor girl turned a dozen shades of red when he actually lifted her from the ground, spinning her in a quick circle before setting her down and moving back to arm's length, absolutely beaming.

"We did it!" he exclaimed, letting out a little yip of excitement. Sasuke approached around the time that Hinata got ahold of herself enough to smile faintly at Naruto. "You two were awesome. Sasuke, I didn't know you could do that." Despite his glee, the blond was tactful enough not to give away any of his friends' secrets. Sasuke just shrugged and smirked at him. Naruto looked back to Hinata and blinked. "Are you okay, Hinata-chan?" Sasuke sighed at him and rolled his eyes, turning to join the other genin making their way towards the exit.

"Y-yes, I'm fine!" Hinata squeaked, her flush deepening. "I'm just happy we're through." That wasn't the entire truth, but it seemed to be enough for Naruto. He grinned again and grabbed her hand, taking off after Sasuke.

"C'mon; let's go see Kakashi-sensei, then celebrate!"

* * *

/*\

* * *

"Well done you three," Kakashi said sincerely. He had been waiting just outside of the academy entrance, perched in a tree and reading a book. He could tell the moment his genin had emerged what the result had been. "I was a little concerned when I heard that the examiner was Ibiki, but you seem to have handled it well. How'd you get through it?"

"The Wind Whispering jutsu," Naruto said happily, swinging his arm in excitement and subsequently bringing Hinata's hand with it. He quickly went over the exam rules that Ibiki had outlined before detailing how they had gotten past them. "The Kyuubi knew a few answers, but Hinata figured out a bunch on her own." She blushed again at that, and he squeezed her hand a moment later as an extra show of appreciation.

"And let me guess: Sasuke used his Sharingan to copy pencil strokes." The Uchiha boy nodded, and Kakashi grinned. "Were you able to get away with using your Byakugan as well, Hinata?"

"A little," she admitted, biting at her lip. "It's more obvious than the Sharingan though, so I had to be careful."

"She found one of the planted chuunin for me to copy off of; I wouldn't have been able to get the answers without her. Although I think Hinata could have found all of the answers on her own, given enough time," Sasuke assured Kakashi. "It was just easier to split it up."

"Maybe in the next part of the exam I'll be less useless," Naruto laughed. It was a good-natured comment, but Hinata still pursed her lips and raised her voice slightly.

"You were the one who came up with the technique in the first place, Naruto-kun. We would have failed if we hadn't been able to communicate with it." Sasuke grunted in the affirmative, and Naruto shrugged, rubbing at the back of his neck as a bit of pink rose in his cheeks.

"Good," Kakashi commended, closing his novel and placing it back in his belt pouch. "You all assessed the situation and achieved your goal as a team. You handled it like a mission, which is exactly how every genin should have. Naruto, just because you don't feel that you contributed the same as your teammates doesn't mean they see it that way. So long as you all work together towards a common goal, everybody's contribution is equal. Don't forget that." Naruto nodded, and then his expression sobered.

"Kakashi-sensei," he started, looking around to make sure that they were alone. The courtyard was empty now, but just in case he lowered his voice to a whisper. "One of the Suna genin, Gaara, is the jinchuuriki of the Ichibi." Kakashi's eye widened at that, then narrowed before he spoke sharply.

"Are you sure? How do you know?"

"I . . . I could feel something about him, but I didn't know what it was. The Kyuubi said he recognized Shukaku's chakra – that's the Ichibi's name, I guess. I didn't even know they had names." He thought about that for a moment while Kakashi considered what he had said; Sasuke and Hinata looked worried. "Anyway, I just thought you should know. I mean, I'm a jinchuuriki too, so I guess it doesn't matter too much, right?"

"Probably not," Kakashi started slowly. "Did he realize the same about you?"

"I think so; he didn't say much, but he was looking at me weird. The Kyuubi said that Gaara had already submitted to Shukaku. What does that mean, Kakashi-sensei?"

"I'm . . . not sure, Naruto. All I can tell you three is to be careful around him. There's no telling what a jinchuuriki can do when his demon is in control." Naruto froze for a fraction of a second, then looked down. He was suddenly very aware of the other three looking at him. He tugged at his hand but Hinata held on tight, which brought a small smile back to his lips. "I need to inform the Hokage about this, but you are not to tell anybody else about it. Understood?" Naruto looked up, and they nodded in unison. "Good. The rally point is at the forty-fourth training area, north of the village. Be there at least fifteen minutes before eight tomorrow morning, and pack like you did for the mission to Wave Country. I recommend doubling your arsenal as well. Best of luck, Team Seven; I'll see you again after the second exam." Without another word he made a sign with one hand and phased through the ground, the earth seeming to bend and ripple outward until he was gone.

"Well, Kakashi's confident we'll pass the next part at least," Sasuke sighed, stretching upwards. "Unless by 'after the second exam' he meant after we fail it."

"Nah, there's no way we'll fail. We'll show Team Gai who the real strongest genin team is!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air once before offering it to Sasuke, who promptly bumped his knuckles with his friend's. "I've gotta pick up some more kunai before tomorrow, so I'm gonna head back. See you in the morning, Sasuke."

"Later you two. Don't pull a Kakashi in the morning or I'll have to pass the exam myself." Sasuke turned following his jest and all but vanished in a blur of speed. He had to get home and prepare as well, not to mention fill in Haku about how the test had gone.

"Cocky jerk," Naruto chuckled, turning with Hinata to stroll down the street towards a nearby shop. "Do you need anything while we're out, Hinata-chan?"

"I have everything I need, I think," she said quietly, staring at her feet as they walked. He nodded, glancing aside at her a moment later. He couldn't be sure, but something seemed off about his friend. Hinata noticed him looking at her and flushed, looking away quickly. "Naruto-kun?"

"Yeah?" She was definitely acting weird. It was pretty normal for Hinata to blush a lot, but she had stopped looking down so much, and usually wouldn't look away when they were talking. "What's up?"

"You didn't . . . You didn't mind, holding my hand or . . ." She reddened a bit more as she tried to get the words out. "O-or hugging me like that in front of our classmates?" The words had come out in a rush, and Hinata bit her lip a moment later as if she regretted asking. Naruto stared at her curiously for a long moment before shaking his head and shrugging.

"No; should I have? I didn't mean to embarrass you or anything," he went on quickly, hoping his careless stunt hadn't damaged Hinata's delicate sensibilities. "I mean, we're best friends right? I can stop doing it if it makes you uncomfortable." Hinata missed a step and had to use Naruto's hand to support herself for a moment. Her reaction only made him more sure that he had done something regrettable.

"N-no it's alright," she stammered as she righted her steps. "You're right, Naruto-kun. It's fine, because we're . . . We're friends." She squeezed his hand a little; it was a gentle, reassuring gesture that she didn't feel the source of herself. Naruto squinted at her for a few seconds, then grinned and squeezed tightly back.

"Good, 'cause I like holding your hand." He blushed while he said it, but spoke as cheerily as ever. Hinata blinked at him several times before offering a shy smile, this time returning the grip with more fervor.

As Naruto went about his errand, Hinata kept him company. Her mind wandered as he chattered on amiably, thinking back to all the time they had spent together. She thought of the very first time that she had realized her real feelings for Naruto, only a short while ago in the Land of Waves. '_I can_' she had told herself then. _Maybe Naruto-kun just wants a friend,_ she reasoned as she watched him purchase a bundle of kunai. _I can do that for him; I know I can._ _But . . ._ Hinata shook her head, donning a subdued smile. _No, it's enough just being here for him when he needs me. I shouldn't ask for more, even if . . ._

Even if she wanted to.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"I see." The Hokage exhaled deeply, letting out a long plume of pale smoke that swirled up and out the cracked window. "You're positive of this?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I believe Naruto," Kakashi replied with grave conviction. Hiruzen mulled over the information the jounin had brought him for several minutes, puffing steadily on his long pipe.

"I would ask that you take the same instruction that you gave your students. Do not speak of this to anyone. I cannot risk anything in case Gaara does know of the Kyuubi; the Sand could take our knowledge of their jinchuuriki as an affront. Not to mention, Naruto is participating in the chuunin exam; it would be unfair of me to prohibit Gaara from doing so on the basis of suspicion. I will, however, make sure the boy is watched carefully." Kakashi bowed in acknowledgement and turned to leave. "Kakashi," the Hokage said in a softer voicer. The masked jounin didn't turn around, but he stopped and waited. "You've done very well developing those three. I doubt any jounin could have done better."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama, but they are developing largely as a result of their own friendship." He faced the Sandaime again, his largely hidden features hard to read. "They care deeply for one another, and they strive to better themselves in order to protect each other. I merely point them in the right direction."

"Kakashi," the old man started in a gentle, chiding tone. "You should take your own advice. Just because you don't think yourself a capable leader does not mean your subordinates think as much." Kakashi blinked several times, breaking his impassive expression. How had Hiruzen known about that? The Sandaime just smiled at him then, nodding in a manner that said the meeting was concluded. Kakashi bowed again before exiting the room silently.

_I've done well, hm?_ Kakashi mused, walking slowly through the darkness of Konoha's streets. He stopped at the center of an innocuous intersection, looking up to sky to examine the stars thoughtfully. _Would you think so as well, Rin? Obito?_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Heya folks. I apologize if you thought this chapter was a bore; I tried my best to make the written exam interesting, I promise. Plus, the real break from canon will become clearer soon, so rest assured there are many new adventures to come.

The only note for this chapter is that yes, there are six fewer teams than there were in canon. Canon Naruto, in the words/thoughts of Ibiki, more or less strengthened the resolve of the remaining genin when he was all dramatic. Since he did not make that outburst here, more of the genin were allowed to wallow in doubt, resulting in more voluntary expulsions.

Thank you to Rhi, my beta, for reviewing this chapter. I appreciate it greatly, as always. Thank you all also for the reviews, follows, and favorites; every one is an encouragement.


	11. A Snake in the Forest

**Chapter 11 – A Snake in the Forest**

"Be safe you two!" Iruka called from the balcony of their home, waving to Naruto and Hinata as they left the building. He smiled to himself; their hands were clasped together like always, and the pair made a cute scene waving back at him with their free hands. _You'll figure it out soon enough, Naruto._

Sasuke met them at the gate wearing a light backpack similar to their own. "Yo. You ready?"

"You bet we are," Naruto said with abundant confidence, and Hinata nodded determinedly at his side. "Do you have everything?"

"You get to carry the tent," Sasuke grinned, tossing him the rolled canvas. "I've got everything I need; a few days' rations, some soldier pills, change of clothes, and enough shuriken and kunai to take on an army. Let's get moving; I want to get there early to look around a little." Naruto finished tying the tent to the bottom of his pack, shrugged it back on, and nodded.

It took nearly twenty minutes to get to the designated rally point. Upon arrival they were met with a peculiar scene; a long, covered booth had been set up with several chuunin inside, each looking exceedingly bored. Anko was standing by a tall fence barking orders to a few others, and it took her a moment to notice the trio.

"Ah, so a few of the rookies were the first to arrive. I like that. You were . . . Who again?" she asked, leaning forward to examine them closer with a furrowed brow.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Hyuuga Hinata."

"Uzumaki Naruto; we're Team Seven." He grinned at the kunoichi, who returned his smile with a fierce one of her one.

"Well Team Seven, welcome to the Forest of Death!" Anko proclaimed, gesturing to the thick woods behind the fence. "Er, I'm kinda busy though. We've still got another half hour until eight; just hang out here, but don't get too close to the fence. And don't wander off. And don't touch anything." With that she turned and walked briskly to the booth, speaking very quickly at every chuunin she could manage to get the attention of.

"She seems about as eccentric as she did yesterday," Sasuke muttered, turning towards the forest and peering at it thoughtfully. There was an old, faded sign on a nearby gate that read 'Forest of Death'; it looked like it hadn't been opened in years. "I haven't heard much about this place, except that it's dangerous; I'm sure anybody could gather that much from the name, though."

"We'll be fine." Naruto and Sasuke both glanced to Hinata, who flushed under their gaze. "W-What? If it's a survival test, I know we'll do well." Naruto grinned at her and nodded emphatically.

"Yep; we won't have a problem with this exam." Of course, none of them could be sure of what it would entail, but that didn't hinder their resolve. After working as a team the previous day and successfully passing the first test – which had earned a sixty percent fail rate – they had reason to be confident. "What do you think we'll have to do?"

"I'm not sure, but I bet we'll have to fight the other teams. There's no way that sixty genin will go in here and not run into one another," Sasuke responded, sounding pensive. "Hinata, what does it look like in there? You can see around four hundred meters, right?" She nodded, and a moment later she was peering into the woods with her Byakugan active.

"As far as I can see there's only forest, but the trees are unnaturally big, and they look very old. There's a lot of space between most of them, and it doesn't look like there's much brush further in." She squinted after a few seconds of silenced, then her eyes went wide and she took a step back. "A-and there are really, _really_ big bugs," she said shakily, quickly releasing her bloodline ability. When the two boys looked at her curiously, she swallowed and calmed herself. "There was, um . . . A centipede."

"A big centipede?" Naruto asked, blinking at her several times. "Like, a meter-long centipede or something?" The thought of such a large, creepy animal almost caused an involuntary squirm.

"More like fifteen meters," Hinata said faintly. Even Sasuke blanched slightly at that, and Naruto shivered visibly. "I . . . I had no idea they could grow that big."

"Let's ah . . . Can we try to avoid those?" Naruto laughed, glancing at the woods and trying not to think about what else might be within. Hinata nodded quickly, and Sasuke didn't offer any argument.

Over the course of the next thirty minutes the others arrived. Most found a spot away from the other teams to wait for the exam to start, likely for the sake of private conversation and planning. Team Eight and Team Ten came over to them immediately, though, chatting idly as they had done before the last test. Nobody shared any information on how they had passed the written exam; they all understood that the next portion would pit them against one another, and that revealing any secrets could cost them.

"Hey Lee, Tenten, Neji," Naruto called as he spotted Team Gai arrive, waving to them. Lee grinned and altered his course, but Neji put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Tenten glanced from her teammates to Naruto, shrugged, then flashed a smile at the rookies before continuing on with her allies. Lee looked disappointed, but waved enthusiastically nonetheless. "Jerk," Naruto glowered, glaring at Neji. Before he could go back to his conversation with Kiba, Anko shouted over the crowd of genin.

"Alright, listen up!" She was standing in front of the chain-linked fence, next to a sign that read 'Warning: You may die.' Naruto had a feeling she had positioned herself there on purpose. "All of the teams are here, and it's nearly eight so it's time to start. However, before we begin I'm going to pass around these consent forms. It basically says that you release me and the village from being responsible for your death. From here on out, your death is a very real possibility. Any person that refuses to sign one of these – and subsequently his or her team – will be disqualified from the Chuunin Exam." Anko seemed satisfied that there weren't many surprised looks at that information. She handed off the stack of papers to the nearest genin to begin passing them around before she began again.

"While these go around I'm going to explain the second exam." She drew a scroll from her coat pocket and let it drop open, displayed to the group. "Here's a map of the forty-fourth training ground. It has a river running directly through the middle, a tower in the center, and a dense forest all around. The tower is about ten kilometers from any of the outside gates." After looking around for a few seconds she replaced the map, drawing out two more scrolls. "This test, as many of you have likely guessed by now, is one of survival, but with another purpose." She held the scrolls out for them to see; one was dark blue with the symbol for 'Earth' on the seal, and the other was white with 'Heaven' inscribed upon it. "Each team will receive one scroll in return for three consent forms.

"In order to pass this exam, you must reach the tower at the center of the Forest of Death with both scrolls, all three of your teammates, and within the time limit of one hundred and twenty hours." Realization dawned on the gathered genin then, and Anko smirked. "That's right: it also means only ten teams will be able to pass this portion of the exam, although it's possible that fewer than that will make it through. Listen closely: there are no rules in acquiring the scrolls. You are encouraged not to use deadly force where possible, but there will be no repercussions for killing." There were a few gasps at that, including one from Hinata. Sasuke looked at Anko placidly, and Naruto's eyes narrowed. A few, however, looked excited.

"Are we allowed to quit after we're inside?" Shikamaru asked.

"As a rule, you must spend all five days in the forest," Anko explained with a mirthless smirk. "But that's a good question." Shikamaru muttered something about how troublesome this exam was, but she continued as if she hadn't heard. "There are only a few ways for you to fail. The most important is that, again, you must bring both scrolls to the tower with all of your teammates within the time limit, or you're out. Second, if one of your teammates is deemed 'unrecoverable' when you arrive at the tower – that is, they're too far gone to save – you will fail. And lastly," she said, brandishing the scrolls, "If you open these before you arrive at the tower, you will fail.

"That's it for the explanation. You have until half past nine to turn in your consent forms over there." She pointed at the large booth to her right that held three chuunin proctors, who waved lazily at the crowd.

"Why do we have so long to turn them in?" Naruto asked, looking up from the form to Anko.

"Because you should consider carefully before you sign that document," she responded seriously. "The possibility of death is real now, and not all that small. You have the chance to back out here if you wish, but otherwise you will at least think hard on what is to come. Now," she barked, lifting her gaze to the rest of the teams. "When you receive your scroll you will be escorted to one of the forty-four gates surrounding the training ground. The second exam will commence at exactly ten o'clock. Oh, and one last thing: if you brought any gear with you outside of ninja tools, you're going to leave it here." She grinned wickedly, and Naruto scowled. Only a handful of teams had brought extra supplies, but it seemed Anko wouldn't have any unfair advantages. "I know some of your teachers likely recommended them, or you might have thought to do it on your own, but this is a survival test. If you can't survive without additional gear, you shouldn't be in this exam. That's it; good luck, and don't die!"

Naruto shrugged out of his pack and sighed, setting it down by a tree a fair distance from the fence. Hinata and Sasuke did the same, retrieving only the essentials to place in their belt pouches. "Well, at least we planned ahead," Naruto commented lightly, chuckling despite the situation. "I'm going to assume that we can take soldier pills at least? Those count as ninja tools."

"I'd say so," Sasuke said dryly, stuffing a few of the black capsules away in his back belt pouch. "Oy, Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon. Take this stuff back for us." A nearby bush rustled just then, accompanied by a trio of gasps, and after a moment Naruto grinned.

"Did you three follow us again?" he asked with mock incredulousness.

"We want to join the Chuunin Exam too!" a small boy's voice exclaimed, and Konohamaru burst from the bushes followed closely by his two subordinates Moegi and Udon. They were all around eight years old, and each sported a long purple headband almost identical to Naruto's.

"You've still got a few more years until you can do that," Naruto chided, pointing a thumb at his hitai-ate. "Once you've worn one of these for a while, then you might be ready." Konohamaru looked indignant, but Naruto could only smile and shake his head. He had taken a liking to the three of them, in part because they reminded him of when he had been in the academy with Sasuke and Hinata. The little girl – Moegi – was much more outspoken than Hinata, and Udon couldn't measure up to Sasuke, but their friendship was strong. Konohamaru reminded Naruto a lot of himself when he had been that age, too.

"But," Naruto continued, lowering his voice and feigning solemnity. "I do have a mission for you three." Their eyes widened and they nodded quickly. "Like Sasuke said, we need a team we can trust to take these packs back to Iruka-sensei. Do you think you can do that for us?" While Konohamaru was terrible at hiding his excitement, he tried his best to don a skeptical expression.

"Maybe. What rank mission would it be?"

"Probably D-rank," Naruto admitted, before glancing around furtively, "But we _are_ outside of the village. Who knows what could be around? This could even be a C-rank mission." That was enough for the boy, and he quickly saluted the whole of Team Seven.

"The Konohamaru Corps accepts your mission, Naruto-niichan!" They all spoke in unison, as if they had practiced the line. Bubbling with anticipation, they quickly gathered up the discarded packs and struggled into them. Konohamaru, of course, took Naruto's. They made quite the sight, all wearing oversized backpacks; the tent canvas at the bottom of Konohamaru's even dragged lightly on the ground.

"Great! We'll see you guys after the exam, and tell Iruka-sensei not to worry." They all nodded grimly and trotted off towards Konoha, leaving Naruto to shake his head. "Was I really like that when I was his age?"

"Pretty much," Sasuke sighed, though he was smirking slightly. "A little more annoying, though." Naruto shoved him at that remark.

"Are you sure it's safe to send them back alone?" Hinata asked worriedly, watching after the retreating kids.

"We're not too far away," Naruto reasoned, though his expression sobered slightly. "They shouldn't be out here anyway, and we can't leave. It seemed like a good excuse to get them back inside the village. Besides, I feel like it might be more dangerous for them to stick around here." His eyes traveled around, looking hard at a few teams in particular. "Some of these people seem really off. Did you see that one guy with the long tongue? He looked _excited_ when Anko-sensei said that we could kill each other."

"Some guys are just creeps," Sasuke muttered. "We should use this time to form a plan, though. We know all of the rules now, and what our goal is."

"Do you think it will take five days to do? I feel like the limit is set high on purpose." Hinata seemed thoughtful as she looked around at the other genin, then finally back towards the Forest of Death. "Maybe it's to give us time to recover before the next test?"

"Maybe," Naruto said after a few seconds, "Or maybe it's just a way to sort out the strong teams from the weaker ones. I can't imagine it'd take more than a day or two for a good team to find another scroll and get to the tower. Even from the gate we could make it there in ten minutes." Sasuke thought about that for a moment before nodding, then spoke slowly as if considering his own words.

"True, but don't forget we'll have nineteen other teams to contend with. We need to be cautious. Hinata, can you take a look towards the booth and look at the scrolls? I want to know if you can tell them apart with your Byakugan active."

"Is that allowed?" she asked, sounding nervous.

"We were encouraged in the first exam to gather information by cheating," Sasuke shrugged. "You just happen to have a bloodline ability that lets you see through things. No harm in using it to give ourselves a better chance." Hinata chewed at her lower lip for a moment before nodding; if it would help them get through the exam, she would do it.

_Byakugan. _She was still meeting Sasuke's eyes, but it was clear that her focus was elsewhere. The covered area where the scrolls were presumably held was to her left and out of normal sight, but that wouldn't stop a Hyuuga. "I can see them," she murmured after a time. "There are two piles under the desk where the chuunin are sitting. I can see the symbols on each of them." Despite herself, Hinata got a little excited at that. She would be able to tell which teams got ahold of which type of scroll, too.

"Great! You're the best, Hinata-chan." Naruto grinned and laced his fingers behind his head, leaning back against the tree. "So now we just wanna be the last team, right?"

"Neji-niisan is watching as well," she said quietly, making sure not to turn towards Team Gai. "I imagine they'll wait as well."

"Let's just wait until the last minute; they'll have to approach then, too. Anko-sensei would see either of your Byakugan from there." Hinata and Naruto nodded. "How long can you keep your Byakugan active before it starts to wear on you?"

"Maybe . . . Three hours?" she offered timidly. Naruto frowned at her, and she spoke again quickly. "Well, it starts to get hard after two." Hinata fidgeted slightly when he smiled at her then; she knew he wouldn't want her to inconvenience or strain herself. Sasuke only nodded.

"So after you find out which teams have which scrolls, make sure to take it easy until the exam starts. We'll need you to have it active as much as possible while we travel in order to watch for danger and figure out which teams to engage."

"We can't make Hinata-chan use her Byakugan like that," Naruto inserted calmly. "You remember what happened last time she used it too much; she could hardly see. I think we should run it like we did going to Wave Country: every few minutes or so, just to check around." Sasuke glanced at Hinata, who nodded once. "If it's just a quick peek a few hundred meters all around, it should be okay right?" She nodded again, smiling very slightly at the concern Naruto was showing on her behalf. "Alright then, but if we get approached when Hinata can't see . . ."

They spent the next forty-five minutes discussing how to deal with different scenarios, everything from giant centipedes to multiple teams attacking at once. Hinata reported as each team went to retrieve a scroll, and they did their best to commit it all to memory. When the deadline was only five minutes away, Team Seven and Team Gai were the only ones left in the area, the rest having been escorted to their gates.

"Five minutes!" Anko called, beckoning the teams over. "You're either in or you're not now, and you've already spied on the rest of the teams!" Hinata winced and allowed her Byakugan to fade, glancing at Naruto and Sasuke guiltily. The latter shrugged and stretched, and Naruto just laughed and winked at her.

"Hey, she doesn't seem mad, and hasn't disqualified us. And now we don't have to worry about Neji spying on us." He offered his hand and she took it without hesitating, rising from her seat and joining him beside Sasuke. Naruto glanced over at Team Gai, who had also stood and were now walking towards the booth. "Alright, let's go."

"Pretty good plan, you two," Anko said wryly as the six genin approached. "There wasn't any rule against it, so I can't do anything but compliment your creativity. However," she continued, casually drawing out one Scroll of Heaven and one Scroll of Earth, "Since you know everybody else's scrolls, and you'll probably check each other's when you leave, you may as well know now." She tossed the white scroll to Naruto, and the black to Neji. "Your forms?" They presented her with their signed documents, which she checked and pocketed nonchalantly. "Excellent. Follow your chuunin guide to your assigned gate, and good luck." The kunoichi spun on her heel, yelling for a chuunin to fetch her some tea and dango as she strode away.

It took several minutes after they parted ways with Anko and Team Gai to reach their gate. They had been assigned to Gate 12, and from the path their guide had taken them on it could be assumed that they had passed around at least twenty other gates to get there. It was impossible to tell, though, as they had been made to travel in the skirting woods, presumably to not find out where the other teams were starting. The chuunin leading them also warned Hinata not to use her Byakugan, a caution that she was sure to heed.

"Only a few more minutes to go," Naruto said quietly. They were standing a few meters from their gate, in front of which stood their chuunin guide. He hadn't said a word since they had arrived, though he had unlocked the chain holding the doors closed. "Anything we might not have gone over, you think?"

"I think we've got almost everything covered. Just try not to die, alright?" Sasuke smirked, but Hinata spoke up immediately after, her voice unusually steady and sharp.

"Don't say that, Sasuke." He blinked at her, but sobered quickly; she looked serious. "I don't want any of us to forget that we really could die in this exam, and our friends could too. If we forget for an instant, it might happen." She held her expression for another moment before taking a deep breath, appearing to relax a little as if she had needed to get that off of her chest. Naruto smiled softly and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Sasuke took hold of each of their hands and applied his own comforting pressure.

"Don't worry; as long as we stick together, we'll be safe. We'll watch each other's backs and get through this part of the exam together," Naruto said with quiet, unshakable confidence. Hinata nodded firmly, as did Sasuke.

"Thirty seconds," the chuunin said blandly, stepping to the side of the gate. Team Seven lined up in front of the gate with Hinata at the center and on point. "Fifteen seconds." She activated her Byakugan a second later, and they all began channeling chakra to their feet. "Ten." Naruto took in a deep breath and bent his knees slightly, his allies making the same movement in preparation to take off. "Five." As their proctor counted down the last few seconds, a fierce smile took hold of Naruto's features. Sasuke had his signature smirk in place, accented by visible anticipation. Hinata smoothed her expression and breathed one last, deep breath.

"Go!" The gates flew open at the call, and Team Seven leapt forward and into the Forest of Death.

* * *

/*\

* * *

Hinata's hand shot out to the side, signaling a halt. Naruto and Sasuke landed on the tree branch on either side of her, crouching low and keeping alert. It had only been five minutes since the trio had taken to the trees, and they had made sure to move swiftly and as silently as possible. Thus far all they had passed were a few overgrown insects.

"Team Gai is southeast, three hundred and fifty meters. But . . . I think Neji-niisan spotted us too, and they changed course. I . . . I don't think they want to fight us, even though they know we have a scroll they need." She sounded relieved, but expressed her concern a moment later. "I think we should avoid them as well; even if we could win, one of us might get too injured to continue."

"They're probably thinking the same thing," Sasuke murmured, allowing his smirk to return. "And we _could_ win, Hinata."

"There's something else," she continued quickly, turning her head slightly to one side. "Another team is approaching behind us; by their hitai-ate I can tell that they're Konoha genin, but none that we know." Naruto and Sasuke both nodded, and as a single unit they vanished into the leaves above.

A minute later the team arrived, passing through cautiously on the ground. Their leader was a stocky man with a plain face and small, beady eyes that flicked back and forth restlessly. His teammates were both male, and seemed to be identical twins; they were tall and skinny, especially compared to the other man. Each twin carried a katana on his back, and their teammate had a short, curved blade on either hip.

From his hiding spot, Naruto signaled at Sasuke, then to Hinata. A moment later two fists of shuriken flew from Sasuke's cover towards the ninja below, flanked by several of Hinata's kunai. Naruto was already on his way to the ground with two clones, sprinting down a tree trunk. However, the three genin weren't amateurs.

The twins had their swords out and deflecting shuriken in a heartbeat, but it appeared that their leader had been too slow on the uptake. Hinata's knives struck him with deadly precision, digging into his neck, torso, and right shoulder. He grunted and fell to the ground, but something about the movement seemed unnatural. _Replacement._ Naruto's eyes flicked upward as his feet hit the ground, and his clones loosed their kunai into the trees. A curse and the sound of metal striking metal told him that his aim had been true.

By now Sasuke and Hinata were on their way, both brandishing kunai and looking serious. They had discussed at length how they were to engage enemies: fast and relentless. If they wanted to survive, there wouldn't be room for leniency.

"Hinata, take your target; Sasuke, with me!" Naruto was closing in on the two tall genin now, and after a final volley of shuriken he rushed in to engage them. Calling them experts in swordplay would have been generous, though they were nothing to scoff at. But he had spent a good amount of time sparring with a _real_ weapons master. Sasuke landed next to him a moment later, taking the attention of one swordsman and fluidly transitioning into combat.

Hinata had seen the stocky man reappear following his technique, and she had also witnessed him getting struck in his right calf by one of Naruto's thrown kunai. He was kneeling on a branch just above the skirmish on the ground, forming shaky hand signs. She appeared in front of him in a blur of motion, sweeping a leg and forcing him to jump back in a panic. He snarled and drew his two blades in a practiced motion, somehow managing to support himself on his wounded leg.

"You three would attack genin from your own village, and aim to kill?" he said in a low growl.

"Our goal is to get through this test and survive, using whatever means necessary," Hinata replied curtly, rushing forward before he could retort. There was a reason Naruto had tasked her with engaging that genin: she could most easily keep up with his swordplay. He wielded his light weapons with particular alacrity, likely the product of many years of training. But where he was quick and precise, Hinata was faster and more accurate. Every one of his strikes was avoided as the girl flowed around him like the air itself. After only a few seconds both weapons spun from his hands, and his arms dropped uselessly to his sides. Hinata pivoted once, thrusting a palm into the man's torso and forcing chakra through it. With hardly a sound the genin's eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped forward, unconscious.

"You done up here?" Naruto asked, landing beside her a second later. Sasuke arrived just after, eyeing Hinata's downed opponent warily.

"Yes," Hinata replied, a little breathless. "You didn't kill them, did you?"

"Of course not," Naruto responded, sounding a little indignant. "They weren't all that good, and we only knocked them out. I might have hit mine a little hard though; he'll have a headache when he wakes up." Sasuke chuckled at that, shaking his head before addressing his teammates.

"Don't you think that was a little easy?" he asked as Naruto leaned down to start searching the unconscious man for a scroll. "I mean, I know we're not exactly weak, but these guys were . . . Well they shouldn't even be in this exam."

"They passed the written exam," Hinata pointed out quietly, looking at the genin sympathetically. "But they might not be very adept at combat yet. Plus we took them by surprise."

"They're older than us," Naruto said, and he sounded happy about that fact. "They probably just don't train as hard. I mean, the only genin I know that train as hard as we do are Team Gai's. Ah, found it!" He withdrew his hand from the stocky man's belt pouch and sighed a moment later. He was holding a white scroll, one identical to his own with 'Heaven' written on it. "Damn it, we forgot to check beforehand."

"I'm sorry," Hinata mumbled, looking down. "I . . . I guess I was too distracted to remember to look. And now we took them out of the exam for no reason . . ." She trailed off, instantly miserable.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," Naruto started in a chastising tone. "It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't for no reason! Think of it as limiting the competition for next round; since we have two Scrolls of Heaven now, it means one more team can't pass, right? So we just took out two teams in one swoop, sorta." He rubbed at the back of his neck and grinned at her, and after a moment she looked up and nodded, a small smile touching her features.

"You're right, Naruto-kun. But I'll make sure to check next time, I promise." He returned her nod, then tossed the new scroll to her. Hinata blinked at him a few times before placing the scroll in her back pouch.

"If he's carrying one scroll, and you carry the other, it'll be a safety precaution against either being stolen or lost somehow," Sasuke said before the other boy could offer an explanation. Hinata nodded, then turned to the defeated genin.

"Let's hide them somewhere that will be safe, at least until they wake up. I wouldn't want to leave them here only to be eaten by something." She shivered at that, then leaned down to lift one of the men.

In short order they had the bodies hidden in the foliage below, collected as many projectiles as they could, and erased their tracks with a minor earth technique. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata bounded back into the trees, on the hunt once again.

* * *

/*\

* * *

It was getting late in the afternoon when Team Seven finally called a halt. They had only seen two other teams since the first, and both had Scrolls of Heaven in their possession. The plan was to find a team carrying an Earth scroll and go all out to get it from them, and then make their way to the tower as soon as possible. Of course, none of them expected it to be that simple, but they had plenty of alternative plans in the event the ideal didn't play out.

"How're your eyes, Hinata?" Sasuke asked after a sip of water. He was leaning against a sizable root from a tree that hung over the bank of a river; the fresh water had provided a good resting point.

"I'm fine," she replied, though after a pointed look from the boy she shrugged and corrected herself. "My eyes are fine, I mean; I'm not feeling any strain yet." Sasuke nodded then and passed her the canteen.

"I'm going to send a few clones out now," Naruto said, exhaling after a long stretch before forming the seal and muttering, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." Eight clones popped up around him in little clouds of smoke, all mimicking his previous stretch and immediately beginning to chat with one another. "Hey," he said after a moment, and they all looked at him curiously. "Four of you take a cardinal direction, and the rest take the ones in between."

"I think those are called ordinal directions," Sasuke corrected. A few of the bunshin snickered, though were quieted a moment later by a hard look from Naruto.

"Right, then the rest take the _ordinal _directions. Smartass." His last comment was directed at his friend, who smirked cheekily back. Naruto flushed lightly though when Hinata gave him a disapproving look. "C'mon, hurry up. Just stab yourselves if you find something to report back." They all sighed and complained before deciding who was going to take which direction. A moment later they were gone, dashing off into the woods.

"That seems so . . . mean," Hinata said, though her words lacked a certain amount of conviction. "I know they're clones, but telling them to just stab themselves?" Naruto shrugged and sat back down on his rock, accepting the water from her afterwards.

"They all get a portion of my consciousness, so they know that the fastest way to get information back to me is to 'die'. I tried talking to them about it once; every clone has a slightly different personality I think, but they all know they're temporary creations because _I_ know that. I don't know; it's really weird." Hinata nodded at his explanation, seeming to understand better now. The bunshin _were_ Naruto in a way, so it wasn't so unbelievable that they shared his view of their purpose and existence.

"All I know is that they're useful; you're going to have to teach me and Hinata that some time. I think we've built up our chakra enough over the last few years to at least handle a few." Sasuke caught the canteen as Naruto tossed it back, taking a last drink before leaning to refill and replace it.

"Probably, but I think Kakashi-sensei would be able to help more than I would," Naruto admitted, scratching at the back of his neck. Neither of them could argue with that; Kakashi had been the one to show Naruto how to use the technique, after all. "Hinata-chan, can you do a quick check around just in case my clones missed something?" She nodded and activated her bloodline, sweeping her gaze around slowly before shaking her head.

"It's all clear; your bunshin are just approaching the edge of my vision." Naruto nodded and relaxed a little. Sasuke and Hinata took a seat nearby, and for a time they enjoyed a calm silence.

"One down," Naruto said a few minutes later, glancing south. "Looks like Team Ten is that way, hiding in some bushes." A few seconds later he continued, and kept going as more clones presumably perished. "There's a team from the Rain northwest, near the tower; they found my clone and destroyed it. East and Southeast are clear to the fence, I think. Team Eight is directly west; Kiba punched me – er, my clone – in the face." He made a face, then chuckled before continuing. "The rest are still going."

"So heading northeast should work out best for us, at least if we don't want to run into our old classmates and have to fight." Hinata nodded her agreement, and Naruto signaled his own concordance by standing and dusting off his long coat.

"I guess so; I'll let you guys know if my clones –" He broke off suddenly and froze, the hair on the back of his neck standing up as a cold shiver ran down his spine. The others felt it too, and immediately they assumed a fighting stance, all staring at the river.

"Ah, more perceptive than I thought," came a rich, feminine voice from the water. The water near the bank of the river rippled outward as a figure rose from within, and a few seconds later a lithe and androgynous Grass-nin stood regarding them mildly. He – or at least, they thought it was a man – quirked a smile that looked wholly unpleasant. The older shinobi wore his long, dark hair straight, capped with a broad straw hat. A tan tunic covered a form-fitting black bodysuit, and the ensemble was belted by a thick indigo rope tied in an elaborate knot on the backside.

"Earth," Hinata whispered, though even as she spoke the newcomer's smile broadened. The Grass shinobi reached behind his belt and withdrew a Scroll of Earth, holding it out for them to see.

"Indeed, but you already knew that, didn't you little Hyuuga?" The man tilted his head to the side then, lifting the scroll to his mouth and opening wide. A serpentine tongue flickered out and wrapped around the document, acting as a grotesque lariat to draw it back and . . . straight down his throat. Team Seven schooled their expressions carefully, though Naruto couldn't keep himself from blanching slightly. "Now then," he continued, licking his lips and narrowing yellow, snake-like eyes. "You want my scroll, so come and get it."

Nothing about the Grass-nin changed; he didn't even twitch. But as suddenly as if somebody had flicked a switch they were struck by his monstrous killing intent, though referring to it as 'monstrous' couldn't even come close to doing it justice. It was beyond simple intent: it was a fact, a feeling so real that scenes of their own deaths flashed before their eyes.

Before Naruto even had time to process what had happened, he staggered back, leaning heavily on the tree roots. Sasuke was on his knees, eyes wide and staring at the enemy ninja. Hinata was in a similar state, having fallen backwards and now sat trembling uncontrollably.

_**Kid! **_ The Kyuubi roared in his head, though it sounded far away for some reason. _**Snap out of it and get out of here; this guy will kill us!**_ The words processed slowly in his head, but he couldn't move. His body simply would not obey the simplest commands. He had been paralyzed by fear. _**Damn it kid, I **_**hate **_**you sometimes.**_

Orange-red chakra flared around Naruto then, and with it spilled the fox's own murderous ambitions. The display seemed to catch their adversary off guard, causing the feeling of dread to waver and dissipate a moment later. The Kyuubi's chakra died out as quickly as it had come, but it had served its purpose. Naruto gasped, and beside him his allies took in sharp breaths as well. As if of one mind the three genin vanished, leaving only a cloud of smoke behind as cover.

A few minutes later they all sat breathing hard in a thick growth of trees, still shaking from the earlier events. Cold sweat coated Sasuke's brow as he leaned on a tree trunk, and Naruto looked to be in nearly the same state beside him. Hinata sat at the base of the same tree, her knees brought up to her chest and her head down. None of them spoke for a full minute, all trying to regulate their breathing and figure out what had happened.

"That wasn't genjutsu," Sasuke muttered finally, trying to straighten himself. "That was . . . It was just his killing intent." Naruto nodded numbly, and Hinata's grip around her knees tightened. "There's no way he's a genin. No way. Even Kakashi-sensei and Zabuza combined didn't give off that powerful an aura. Not even half of that."

"Right," Naruto said after a few seconds, kneeling down next to Hinata to grip her hands tightly. She squeezed back hard, and after a time calmed down enough to lift her head. Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes, but she held an expression that told him that she was determined not to let her emotions get the better of her. He nodded once and continued. "We'll stay away from him then. We'll just keep going this way; Hinata, you might have to keep your Byakugan active for a while."

"Oh children, running won't help you." Naruto spun and straightened in a flash, trying to look everywhere at once. Despite her condition Hinata was on her feet next to Sasuke as well. The ominous voice echoed around them, turning into a slow, delighted laugh. "I'll admit you surprised me, Uzumaki Naruto; that was very interesting. You three might yet entertain me."

Branches snapped all around them, and when they looked up there were three massive snakes rushing towards them from the trees. The two on either side were already impossibly sized, but the centermost was a true monster. The Grass-nin stood calmly on its head, between eyes the size of Naruto's entire body. The giant reptiles slithered far too quickly through the trees, closing in on them at an uncomfortable pace.

"No choice," Naruto growled. There wasn't even time to be shocked. He leaped up and back into the canopy, letting fly a fist of shuriken as he jumped and another before he landed on a high tree branch. Sasuke and Hinata did the same, aiming for the eyes and necks of the snakes. One of the smaller ones hissed loudly and writhed for a moment before collapsing to the ground; the other balked and reared back with blood spurting from one eye.

"Sasuke, take that snake! We'll take him!" Naruto didn't wait for a response. He grit his teeth and thrust off of his perch towards the Grass-nin, eyes already waxing crimson. If this shinobi was intent on killing them, and strong enough to do it, he wouldn't hold back. His life – no, the lives of his friends were on the line.

_**You can't win this,**_ the Kyuubi growled. _**It's suicide.**_

_We can't get away; it's our only chance._

_**No, **_**you**_** can get away. You can use enough of my chakra to give you speed and stamina enough to escape this in one piece.**_

_I'm not leaving them,_ Naruto retorted harshly, and he forced the fox's voice quiet a moment later. He didn't have time for distractions.

For some reason the shinobi wasn't even looking at Hinata and Naruto as they approached, instead choosing to watch Sasuke curiously. The Uchiha boy was sprinting up the blinded snake's side now, dragging his kunai into and up the length of its body until he cut cleanly through its jaw. He flipped and spun in the air, forming rapid hand signs before letting loose a fireball that engulfed the monster's head entirely. The snake bucked and twitched several times before falling beside its comrade, a charred and bloodied length of scales.

Naruto and Hinata were nearly upon their target now, the wind rushing past as they lunged through the open air towards him. The moment they leaped from the final branch, however, the last snake's tail whipped towards them out of nowhere. Hinata had seen it coming, though, and her hands were already pressed together.

"Fuuton: Gale Palm!" She twisted and thrust one arm back even as the other grabbed Naruto's wrist. Wind erupted from her palm, propelling them at an angle away from the oncoming strike. The tail passed within a meter of them, slamming into a tree and snapping it in two.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled as they careened off to the side. Two clones appeared behind them, planting their feet on Naruto and Hinata's backs and kicking off hard to alter their course towards the Grass-nin again. The stunt worked, and in seconds the pair was atop the snake's head and clashing with their opponent.

Whatever surprise the man might have experienced did not show on his face, though his smile did widen. As Naruto landed the fox's chakra cloak sprang up around him, roiling madly in his rush to bring it out. It stabilized quickly, however, and he and Hinata engaged their adversary with every ounce of speed and ferocity they could muster . . . And the man _laughed._

Naruto could have understood if he had been fended off with ease; the shinobi in front of him was on a whole different level, after all. But he hadn't expected both his and Hinata's attacks to be handled like child's play. They knew how to work together, and especially how to fight together. Every strike was paired or followed smoothly by one from the other, so fast that no genin should have been able to counter them. But this enemy ninja was avoiding every one, fluidly dodging and deflecting each strike in a graceful dance. He was _playing_ with them, testing their strength and speed and not even attempting to retaliate.

After their initial flurry of attacks Hinata and Naruto leapt back to reassess the situation. Naruto clenched his fists and crouched, noting in his peripheral vision that Hinata was breathing a little hard. _Can't you give me anything else? _His voice sounded strained in his own mind, and the second it took the fox to respond only frustrated him more.

_**My chakra isn't going to solve your problems, mortal, even if I could eke out any more for you. I already gave you my advice.**_ The Kyuubi went silent again, and Naruto could feel its resolution not to speak further.

"Hakke: Thirty-Two Palms!" Naruto blinked as Hinata flashed forward to begin her technique, and it took him a second to realize what she was doing. The Grass-nin's eyes narrowed as the girl whirled and began the sequence, forcing him to focus seriously on his defense. Even the strongest ninja would be rendered powerless if their tenketsu were closed. It was this increased attention that Hinata had been counting on. Halfway through the last set of strikes, Hinata disappeared, and Naruto was gone with her.

A cascade of fire engulfed the giant snake head that had been their battlefield, causing it to pitch and roll in agony as its scales melted inside the inferno. The stream of heat had come from directly behind the snake, and subsequently out of sight from the foreign shinobi. Sasuke cut off the flames after a few seconds; he was crouching upside-down on the underside of a broad tree branch. He was breathing hard, but looked satisfied as Naruto and Hinata appeared beside him.

"Did you get him?" Naruto asked, squinting at the dying flames and plumes of acrid smoke. The snake hit the ground a moment later with a force that shook the surrounding trees.

"We timed it perfectly," Sasuke breathed. "I don't care how good he is. I saw it hit." Despite his conviction he kept his Sharingan focused on the smoldering corpse of the beast. "Do you see anything, Hinata?"

"He was there when your jutsu hit," she started nervously, her eyes wide. "But he's just . . . gone. I can't – There!" As Hinata spoke, a crack appeared in the scales near the snake's midsection, splintering into several more until a small area burst outward. The Grass-nin _slithered_ out of the hole in the scales, dripping some vile substance. When he looked up at them, they were hit again by that terrifying wave of killing intent, seeming all the more powerful for the disfigured features staring up at them. Half of the man's face had been melted or burned away, and a good portion of his hair was smoldering at half of its original length.

They managed to break free of the intense aura this time, but their adversary wasn't going to wait and taunt them. He moved with such speed that only Sasuke's eyes could keep up, though just barely. The man's legs had seemingly gone limp, and they slid across the ground now in a disturbing imitation of a snake's slithering.

"Up!" Sasuke called urgently, sprinting around to the top side of their branch. Naruto and Hinata followed without question, circling the tree limb right behind him. As they slid to a halt, however, the Grass-nin was already there waiting.

"Color me impressed," the snake-man said calmly. There was a definitive hiss to his words now, and as he continued his voice changed slowly from its more feminine quality to a light rasp. "I had thought that Sasuke-kun might be capable, but I wasn't informed that his teammates were of any consequence." They all stood staring at him for a long moment before Sasuke finally spoke, choosing his words carefully and not lowering his guard.

"How do you know who we are, and why are you interested in me?" His allies hadn't missed the pointed remarks either. After a furtive glance at his teammates, Sasuke ground out another sentence. "If you want our scroll you can have it; we give up." The Grass-nin smirked, an expression that looked lopsided on his ruined features, before he reached up and simply _tore_ the skin away from his face. Left behind were completely different features, serpentine in their own right with an extremely pallid complexion.

"My name is Orochimaru," he replied, pronouncing his name slowly. "And I wish only to test you, Sasuke-kun. I want to see if you're worthy. I have no interest in this exam or your scrolls. Only you." Sasuke and Naruto narrowed their eyes, but Hinata took in a sharp breath.

"H-He's . . ." she stuttered, beginning to tremble again. "He's one of Konoha's legendary Sannin . . ." It had been hard enough not to panic at how strong the ninja was already, but now that she knew _who_ he was it was almost impossible. Hinata's breathing quickened, and her knees nearly gave out. It was only due to Naruto's hand gently, yet firmly taking her own that she didn't collapse on the spot.

"Hinata," he said quietly, still staring hard at Orochimaru. "I don't care who he is. We're getting through this alive, and together. I promise." She couldn't help but turn her gaze to him at that, blinking rapidly as if she wasn't sure what she was seeing. There Naruto was, swathed in a cloak of the Kyuubi's chakra, staring down one of the most dangerous men in the world without faltering. If he had enough confidence for an army, she could at least muster enough for herself.

"Oh will you now?" Orochimaru droned. "We'll just have to see about that." He extended one hand, and without a single hand seal or utterance an unnaturally red flame leapt from his fingertips, roaring towards the trio. Sasuke leapt straight over the flames towards the shinobi, gasping out breath as the fire stole the oxygen from the air. Hinata and Naruto split to either side, sending several kunai towards their opponent before circling around and under the log out of sight.

Sasuke landed and lunged forward, his movements a blur as he began trading blows with Orochimaru. The man deftly dodged the projectiles aimed at him, though they had expected no less. Sasuke flipped upwards, spinning and striking down with his heel in a vicious axe-kick. His foot was blocked on his opponent's forearm, which he used as a fulcrum to lunge up and arch over the man's head, thrusting another kick at him on the way down. He caught one of Naruto's kunai as he reached the other side, redirecting it back to its target before he even landed. As Orochimaru lifted a hand to deflect the knife Hinata appeared before him, her palm alight with blue chakra as it thrust towards his chest. He flipped backwards nimbly, extending an arm mid-flight and muttering quickly. Snakes shot from his sleeve towards Hinata, but they were smashed away by an orange streak a breath later. Naruto sliced through the creatures viciously, summoning several clones as he landed to charge again.

"Not bad," Orochimaru smiled, "But you–" He was cut off as two fists of shuriken whirred past him, arcing around the tree trunk he had been backed against. Nigh invisible wires snapped tight all around him, pinning him to the tree from head to toe.

"Katon: Dragon Fire!" Again Naruto and Hinata vanished to reappear behind Sasuke as a stream of fire rushed forward along the wires, racing along them until it crashed into Orochimaru in a blinding torrent. The heat was so intense that they had to shield their faces from it; Sasuke had used a considerable amount of chakra for the technique. He sagged forward slightly, wincing and breathing hard. Hinata moved quickly to support him while Naruto positioned himself in front.

"Let's get out of here," Naruto said quietly, turning away from the inferno. "We need to get to the tower so we can warn them." He moved to take another step, but his foot froze halfway down. Hinata and Sasuke both grunted, and when he looked up they also appeared to be unable to move.

"Good, Sasuke-kun." To their combined horror, Orochimaru stepped out of the flames with his right fist pressed into his left palm. Aside from his clothing being slightly singed, he looked completely unharmed. "I'm impressed that you're able to use your Sharingan so well at your age; it takes considerable skill, even as an Uchiha, to manipulate shuriken like that." He continued forward casually, still wearing an amused smile. "Those eyes of yours tell me that you carry more potential than Itachi, too." Sasuke's eyes widened and he growled a moment later.

"How do you know my brother?!" His voice was tight and controlled, but there was visible hatred in his red eyes.

"If you want to find out, get through this exam. The three ninja from the sound are my subordinates; defeat them, and you'll have proved yourself to me. Perhaps then I will tell you." Orochimaru's hands clasped into a modified tiger seal as he passed Naruto, who he thought to be paralyzed like his companions.

In a surge of fury and power Naruto pivoted and swung his fist at the man's head, and his body ached in protest as it was forced against the technique. Orochimaru glanced aside, annoyance flickering across his features as he broke the seal to catch the boy's wrist effortlessly. "I'll admit also that you are a nuisance, keeper of the Kyuubi. How about we quiet you down for a bit?" He bent the fingers of his right hand and tensed. A bright violet flame flickered to life on the tip of each finger as he concentrated, and a moment later the fox barked a warning in Naruto's head.

_**Don't let that hit you!**_The Kyuubi sounded angry, as usual, but there was a definite undertone of worry there. Whatever that technique was, it was dangerous. But Naruto couldn't move; he was stuck struggling against Orochimaru's grip, his body still refusing to act against the paralysis. The Sannin's tongue slithered out and snaked under Naruto's shirt, lifting the fabric from his torso to reveal an elaborate seal set in what appeared to be black ink.

"Five Element Seal!" Orochimaru snarled, thrusting his palm towards the existing seal. Hinata cried out his name, and Sasuke ground out a curse. But the blow never landed. The man's hand was held quivering, centimeters from Naruto's flesh, grasped by a thick tendril of orange chakra that had extended from the cloak near his chest. Orochimaru's eyes went wide, and he visibly struggled against the chakra's grip before springing back and ripping his arm free, allowing the sealing jutsu to fade.

"I don't have time for this." Orochimaru sped through a series of hand seals before extending both arms towards Naruto. A blast of wind hit him like a solid wall, pitching him from the tree in a howling gale. He went spinning to crash straight through a nearby tree before being stopped by another, smashing into it with an awful crunching sound before careening towards the forest floor. After watching his descent for a few seconds, Orochimaru nodded and turned back to Sasuke and Hinata.

"Now then," he continued, as if he hadn't been interrupted. He formed the modified tiger seal again, and this time there was nothing to stop him from completing his jutsu. His neck extended forward in a sickening, snake-like fashion, rushing towards Sasuke. Orochimaru bared his teeth, exposing two long fangs as he reached Sasuke's neck, plunging them into the boy's flesh without hesitating.

Sasuke screamed, jerking back instinctively and trying to rip the man's jaws from him. He was released a moment later and left to fall to his knees, clawing at his neck and trying to hold in his cries of pain. Hinata felt herself able to move again and rushed to her friend's side, trying to keep her breathing steady enough to speak.

"W-What did you do to him?!" she demanded, trying to support Sasuke's weight with her shoulder.

"I gave him a gift," Orochimaru said softly. "Just a little taste of what power could be his should he seek me out. Sasuke-kun is an avenger; he will come to me to gain power, because I am the only one who can give it to him." He smiled again, a sickening gesture, and began to sink into the tree. "That is, if he survives the night." Echoing, cruel laughter suffixed his statement, growing fainter and further away until they were met only with the sounds of smoldering wood and Sasuke's groans of pain.

"Get Naruto," Sasuke panted, trying to get a handle on his pain. "I'll be okay for a sec; go." Hinata bit her lip but nodded, laying him down gently on his back before springing from the branch. She had been forced to watch as Naruto fell, unable to do anything to help. Silent tears trailed behind her as she landed below, hurrying to where she could see him through the foliage. He lay in a crumpled heap at the base of the tree he had struck, his body folded over a large root. Hinata choked back a sob and moved quickly to him, praying that he was okay.

"Naruto-kun," she breathed, moving him carefully to the softer ground. She quickly placed both hands on his chest, focusing and working to find the extent of the internal damage while she checked his chakra with her Byakugan. To her immense relief – and confusion – he had sustained only minimal injuries. But upon inspecting his chakra she couldn't detect the usual amount of the Kyuubi's energy, instead only seeing flickers where there otherwise might have been constant flows. "Naruto-kun," she whispered urgently. "You have to wake up; we have to move. Please . . ." A long, difficult moment passed in silence before he finally stirred, groaning and muttering incoherently.

"Hinata . . . Wha – Orochimaru? Sasuke . . . And . . . Orochimaru!" Naruto sat bolt upright then, regretting it a moment later as his head exploded in pain. He swayed to the side and threw up, coughing and sputtering for a good minute before he got ahold of himself. His whole body ached, and everything was spinning, but at least he was conscious. "Hinata-chan?" he asked blearily, finally focusing on his friend. "What . . .?"

"There's not time," Hinata responded, and something in her voice made him try to focus harder. "We have to go get Sasuke and find somewhere safe. Can you move?"

"Yeah, I think so." With her help he staggered upright, finding his feet a few seconds later and nodding dully. He winced. "Let's go; can you find some place on your own? I don't think I can summon any bunshin right now."

"I can," she said as he followed her back up into the trees. Her bloodline was still activated, and she was on full alert. As the only fully functional member of her team, she knew that she had to take charge for the time being. "Help me carry Sasuke and we'll get somewhere to hide."

When they arrived back at the site of the last skirmish, Sasuke was unconscious. His breathing was shallow, and from a touch Hinata could tell that a fever had taken him. They each slipped an arm under one of his shoulders and set off quickly, Hinata scouring the distance for a secure hiding place. All the while her mind raced, trying to work out what was happening and how they were going to get through it. Their first priority was getting Sasuke somewhere safe to recover. _He's going to be fine. He will._

Several minutes later they alighted on a high branch of an innocuous tree, in front of a small hollow. Hinata nodded at Naruto, and they hurried inside. It was dark and damp within the small space, but it was as ideal a place as they could have hoped for. Dusk was falling around them, and it would be dangerous to try to move at night in their condition.

Naruto was still dazed, but he managed to gather enough dry leaves to provide makeshift bedding for inside. The space was fairly hidden already by thick leaves all around, but just in case he cut a few branches and placed them carefully over the entrance of the alcove. After setting up a few quick kunai traps, he slipped back into the hollow and slumped against one of the curved walls.

Hinata was leaning over Sasuke, her hands glowing a soft green. She looked tired, and she was squinting down at him as if it was hard to see. "I don't know what's wrong," she mumbled. "I healed his wounds, but he has three marks on his neck that won't go away. And he won't wake up; his fever is getting worse, too. And–"

"Hinata," Naruto said quietly, shifting closer to her and Sasuke. His head was still throbbing, but he was stable enough now to think clearly. "Rest. I'll keep watch."

"But I–" She stopped as he took her hands with his own, pulling them gently away from Sasuke. His hands were warm, but they didn't feel like they usually did. Naruto's hands felt weaker, like they were tired. All the same, he smiled at her in his usual confident manner, barely visible in the dimness.

"C'mon Hinata, I can tell you're reaching your limit. Using your Byakugan so much is starting to hurt your eyes, isn't it?" She looked down at her lap and nodded, though she didn't release the technique. "I don't want you getting hurt, and we all know I've got crazy amounts of stamina. Let me stay up and watch. I'll wake you in a few hours to trade off, if you want. Please?" After a few seconds she nodded slowly, and the pronounced veins around her eyes receded.

All at once the events of the last hour seemed to catch up to her, and she found herself choking on a few sobs. Naruto carefully lowered her down to the bed of leaves beside Sasuke, letting her use his lap as a makeshift pillow. He shrugged out of his black coat and draped it over her quaking form, resting one hand on her shoulder and the other on her head, stroking gently at her hair until she cried herself to sleep. He didn't know what else he could do for her.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," he whispered. Two clones appeared nearby, making the small space feel even more cramped. "Keep watch," Naruto ordered, still in as quiet a voice as he could manage. The two copies nodded and slipped outside, concealing themselves in the canopy. He settled back against the side of the hollow, trying get his sluggish thoughts into motion to keep himself awake.

Sasuke was hurt, but none of them knew just how bad it was. He wasn't doing too well himself, though the Kyuubi's chakra had taken the brunt of the impact from Orochimaru's blow. It had still been strong enough to tear a few muscles and cause some major bruising, not to mention the number it had done on his head. Hinata had stretched herself thin trying to keep a constant watch with her Byakugan and taking care of both of their wounds. Additionally, they had all spent a great deal of chakra fighting Orochimaru. The situation looked grim.

But then, they were alive. If it had been his goal to kill them, they would all have perished without a doubt. He seemed intent on Sasuke, for some reason, and wanted him to finish the exam. Either there weren't enough pieces to put together yet, or Naruto's head wasn't working well enough to figure it out. What mattered at the moment, though, was that they were together, and they were safe. For now.

Five hours later Naruto was forced to wake Hinata; he had started to nod off regularly, and it wouldn't be wise to have no one standing vigil. After a muttered word to her about overusing her bloodline ability, he sighed and switched positions with her, resting his head on her lap. She covered him with his coat, and hesitantly followed his previous example with her hands. He was asleep almost as soon as his head was down, breathing deeply and looking entirely too peaceful for the situation they were in. Hinata couldn't help but smile softly down at him, running her fingers through his hair distractedly.

They had always looked out for one another – Sasuke, Naruto, and her. When one of them was down, the other two would try to cheer the other up. When one was tired, the others offered to take a break. But however close they had always been, Naruto still held a special place in her heart. He was the one that had given her strength and confidence in a time where there was none to be found. He had always encouraged her, complimented her, comforted her; he had always just _been_ there for her, without ever asking for anything in return.

Now, though, she could at least let him rest. It wasn't much, but it was a small bit of kindness that she was able to give. The night wore on, and Hinata's thoughts turned from her friends to what was outside in the darkness. She activated her Byakugan every two minutes, scanning quickly around before shutting it off again; it wouldn't do to exhaust herself, but keeping watch was a necessity.

It wasn't until dawn that Hinata spotted another team approaching their location, heading directly for their hiding place and moving with purpose. It was the three would-be genin from the Hidden Sound: Orochimaru's subordinates. A moment later one of Naruto's clones reentered, looking grave. "We've got trouble."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Heya folks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I've been looking forward to writing it almost as much as I've been afraid to get to it. It's hard to really do their fight with Orochimaru justice while effectively communicating just how terrifying the guy is. But I do hope you enjoyed it!

You may have noticed if you've been keeping up with the story before now, but I changed the way I went about writing the jyuken techniques to better match up with the rest of the jutsus. So they'll start with "Hakke" – or in Hinata's self-created jutsu's case, "Shugohakke" – like the rest start with their Japanese prefixes. I also feel like it looks cleaner/reads better that way.

A thank you to Rhi for, as always, doing great beta work. And thanks as well to the rest of you who read this and other chapters. I appreciate all the favorites and follows CFKD is getting, and especially the reviews; you guys are way too nice. As always, feel free to PM me if you have any questions or comments about my writing or the fic in general.

Have a good one!

Wes


	12. Lessons Learned

**Chapter 12 – Lessons Learned**

Naruto's eyes snapped open as a rush of memories hit him. Images from one of his destroyed clones flooded into his mind, giving him a vivid depiction of three genin wearing hitai-ate emblazoned with a single music note. The foremost had swiped at him – his clone, rather – and missed, but a second later the stream of consciousness ended with his ears ringing painfully. He bolted upright just as the other clone entered. Hinata was on her feet the moment his head had freed her legs to move, her expression strained.

"The Sound?" he whispered, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Both Hinata and his remaining clone nodded. "I'll go take a look. Can you stay with Sasuke?" As expected, she looked like she wanted to protest, but he cast a worried glance at their still unconscious friend. Sasuke was shivering and covered in sweat, and every so often his features would contort in pain. He was muttering indecipherably between groans. "We can't leave him by himself in this state."

"But . . ." Hinata struggled to come up with a logical reason she should go with him. These were Orochimaru's subordinates; if they were anywhere near as capable as their master, Naruto didn't stand a chance by himself. But leaving Sasuke alone and unguarded was not an option, either. "Let me go instead; I got more rest than you, and you might still be injured." When he shook his head at her and stood up she had to struggle not to let a surge of emotion take hold of her.

"I can't use medical ninjutsu to look after Sasuke, and besides I've got access to the Kyuubi's chakra. When it comes down to it I stand the best chance of surviving. I'll use the Wind Whisper jutsu or a clone to get in touch with you during or after, okay?" Hinata still looked like she was ready to argue with him, but he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and grinned confidently. "Hinata-chan," he said, his tone softening. "Remember what I said? I promised we'd get through this together. You don't doubt me, do you?" Naruto stuck out his lip at her in a fake pout. Her own lower lip quivered and she ducked forward to hug him tightly.

"Be safe." It was all she could think to say. He smiled and hugged her back, though only briefly; the Sound-nin were bound to get there soon. When he drew back he placed a hand on each of her shoulders, looked her in the eye, and then winked. Despite herself Hinata smiled. Naruto turned then, slipping towards the exit. He looked back just before leaving, whispering a final note.

"The password is 'Miso Ichiraku ramen.'" She blinked at him a few times before nodding slowly. "Don't let anybody inside unless they say that exactly, okay?" Hinata nodded again, and he flashed her one last smile before stepping outside, leaving his clone to watch the entrance.

He was halfway to the ground when the Kyuubi's voice echoed into his mind, sounding more annoyed than usual. _**I'm not letting you use my chakra.**_ Naruto landed a little hard on the next branch, bark splintering from where his chakra-laced feet struck.

_What?_

_**I said you can't use it, kid. I told you yesterday that my chakra isn't there to solve all of your problems, and I said weeks ago that it should be used to enhance all of your abilities. But you've been using it nigh exclusively to augment your taijutsu. How far do you think you'll get using that strategy?**_

_Do you really have to get stubborn right now? _Naruto growled, continuing his descent. _I'm about to have to go against three shinobi by myself; I need all the power I can get._

_**No you don't,**_ the Kyuubi replied calmly. _**What about those kids you trained with a few weeks ago? I bet any of those three could stand a fighting chance **_**without **_**the chakra of a tailed beast. I bet your friends could, too. But you? Ever since you decided that they were surpassing you because of their doujutsu, you reasoned that my chakra was the only way to catch up.**_ He waited for a moment before asking, _**Am I wrong?**_

_Well no – I mean, not completely. But__–_

_**No. Show me that you're strong enough on your own, and then we'll discuss how you will use my chakra. **_The fox went silent then, waiting. Naruto could tell that he was expecting an angry retort, but he didn't have time to argue. Perhaps the Kyuubi was right, but now was the worst time to bring it up.

_Fine, but don't forget that if I die here, so do you. _His only response was an echoing chuckle that faded into the background before he landed on the forest floor. Naruto ground his teeth in frustration, but there was little he could do at this point. And then it hit him. _When __**did**__ I start relying on the Kyuubi's chakra so much? _It was an unnerving thought, especially considering it had only been two weeks since he had really begun training with it. But somehow, in such a short time, his unfailing confidence had become linked with that new power. For the first time in a very long time, he wasn't sure of himself. And that scared him more than Orochimaru had.

_You're right. _He could almost see the fox's grin. _I'm going to do everything I can to defeat them on my own power. But I expect you to help if things don't look good. _Naruto could see flickers of movement in the trees above, and he readied himself for the inevitable.

_**Afraid to die, mortal?**_

_No, but my friends will be in danger if I can't stop them. If they're hurt because you're being stubborn, I'll find a way to kill you myself._ He felt the Kyuubi's surprise then, but by the time he might have gotten a response Naruto was already on the move.

Naruto flicked his kunai holster open, drawing out three knives and letting them loose into the forest followed closely by a fist of shuriken. The three grey streaks he had been keeping track of stopped suddenly, allowing the projectiles to strike a tree trunk a few meters ahead of them. The Sound-nin looked down him from their perch above, and after exchanging a few words they dropped to the ground several meters in front of Naruto.

"Decided to come out and play by yourself?" the foremost asked in a low, guttural voice. He carried himself hunched over, and his face was completely covered in bandages save for his left eye. Flanking him were two others wearing matching headbands; one was a young woman with dark hair and eyes to match, wearing a severe expression, and the other was a taller boy with a shock of black hair and a wide, almost mad smile. All three wore matching scarves that were printed in a snakeskin pattern.

"What do you want with Sasuke?" Naruto asked bluntly, trying to appear relaxed despite his inner tension. His response was several surprised looks, and the Sound-nin all shared a quick sidelong glance.

"Who told you that we wanted anything to do with him?" the girl asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, maybe we just want your scroll, kid." The taller boy said casually, flexing his fingers. "Maybe a little bird told us you have a Scroll of Heaven."

"If you want the scroll," Naruto started, reaching into his back pouch. The apparent leader of the group tensed, and the other boy had his hands extended towards Naruto in a flash; there was a small hole in the center of each palm. When Naruto drew his hand back out of the pouch they all blinked. "You can have it." Team Seven's original Scroll of Heaven sat in his offered hand. "If it's what you're after, just take it and leave us be."

"Kin, you hear this guy?" the taller boy asked, turning to smirk at his female companion.

"Yeah, Zaku; he wants us to just take it and not have any fun. What do you think, Dosu?"

"I think it's interesting that he knows we want Sasuke," the slouching youth offered, peering curiously at Naruto. "Or more precisely speaking, that we want to kill him." He began to chuckle, Zaku and Kin joining in a moment later before Naruto cut them off sharply.

"Why did Orochimaru tell you to kill Sasuke? He could have done it himself last night." Things still weren't adding up, and it was only more confusing when the Sound-nin stopped and stared at him, wide-eyed.

"You know about Orochimaru?" Dosu asked cautiously; he looked almost as confused as Naruto felt.

"He attacked us last night, and he did something to Sasuke," Naruto responded slowly, not sure of how much to tell them. But it seemed that he was not the only one missing pieces of the puzzle. Dosu stared hard at him for a long moment before turning to his comrades, speaking quickly. Naruto couldn't hear what they were discussing, but Zaku was shaking his head and looking angry; Kin seemed pensive and a little worried.

"I think it's more important than ever that we kill Sasuke now, then. Go up and take care of them." They nodded and started to move, but two kunai came flying across the clearing and they were forced to dodge instead. Naruto hadn't heard Dosu's command, but he had seen them start for Hinata and Sasuke's hiding place.

"If you want to get to them, I'm your first opponent," he said. The feigned calm in his tone sounded harsher than intended, and it made the Sound-nin hesitate. Naruto sank into a balanced stance and waited for their move. If any of them tried to go for the canopy, he would have to engage first.

"So Sasuke – and possibly your other teammate – is vulnerable, hm?" Dosu cocked his head to the side, and as far as Naruto could tell he was smiling. "Well then, we have no need to rush to kill them. I guess we can spare a few seconds to kill you, first."

"You think I'll go down that easy?" Naruto retorted, trying his hand at a mocking grin. "Remember, we ran into your boss yesterday, and I'm still just fine." That made them hesitate for another moment before Zaku laughed, stretching his arms outward.

"He must have had a reason for letting you live. Either that or you were too worthless to kill. I'll take him down myself in one attack; don't interfere," he snarled, stepping out in front of his team. Kin and Dosu shrugged and moved to lean against the nearest tree, looking amused. Naruto mentally thanked Zaku; even if he was strong, the hot-headed genin had just evened the odds temporarily.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" A dozen clones appeared on either side of Naruto and charged Zaku immediately, all yelling individual battle cries. The Sound-nin was taken off guard, but only for a moment. Before the bunshin had covered much ground, he spread his arms to either side, palms out.

"Air Cutter!" The air around Zaku's hands distorted as wind blasted from the holes in his palms, moving at such a high speed that the clones were tossed back and dispersed like leaves. He brought his wrists together a moment later, both arms extended at Naruto. "Air pressure, one hundred percent!" The column of air that crashed into Naruto would have felt like being hit head on by a hurricane – at least, it would have if he had been struck.

Shuriken rained down on Zaku, who cursed and stumbled back as Naruto came flying down towards him. The splintered remains of a log lay scattered on the ground all around where he had been standing a moment before.

_**Identify his weak points,**_ the Kyuubi said calmly. _**You're a shinobi; at least use what Kakashi has been teaching you. Figure out the best way to fight him, and do it.**_

_He gets angry fast, he's cocky, and he thinks that ability can kill me by itself,_ Naruto reasoned as he landed, spinning into a series of attacks. _Judging by the replacement, it can. His taijutsu isn't as good as mine; I'll stay in close and not let him use that attack._ He got no response from the fox, but it seemed like a good plan. As far as he could see there were no other holes on the man's body, so as long as he avoided Zaku's palms he'd be okay.

Zaku's taijutsu form was decent, but it was obvious that he hadn't put as much practice into it as Naruto had. He was, however, about as fast as Hinata, which was troublesome on its own. On a good day he had a hard time scoring hits on his friend, and he had to be even more careful not to get hit than if he was fighting Hinata; one palm strike and it would be over.

_Really wish I had some help about now. _The Kyuubi's chakra augmented his taijutsu tremendously. He had only sparred with Sasuke once since gaining control of the single-tailed cloak, and even with all of the training with his Sharingan it had been all his friend could do to keep up. Hinata couldn't match his speed with the Kyuubi's chakra, which was saying something. But without it he was back to being slower than both of them, though he always had strength and stamina on his side.

_**Quit thinking so linearly. **_Naruto didn't even have time to wonder what that meant; he narrowly avoided a strike and subsequent rush of air that would have taken his arm off. _**I'll say it again: you're a shinobi. Can't you do more than one thing at once, you idiot?**_ That made more sense, though the fox could have put it in simpler terms in the first place.

_Jerk. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. _Naruto's fingers crossed as his body twisted, hiding them and his intentions from view as he spun to dodge a kick. As he completed the turn he leapt at Zaku, not allowing him time to destroy the clone that was now at Naruto's side and fighting with equal ferocity. With two attackers the Sound-nin was immediately put on the defensive, and it gave Naruto time to take the Kyuubi's suggestion.

_Suiton: Water Blast. _Naruto was not adept at elemental jutsu, and he was worst with water. However, years of training with Hinata and Sasuke hadn't been entirely focused on hand-to-hand combat. They were much better than him at ninjutsu, but it wasn't for a lack of effort. That hard work had allowed him to learn a few techniques, at least.

Before Zaku could even register that his enemy's hands were clasped in a tiger seal, the air had already lost its moisture. Naruto's cheeks bulged for a fraction of a second, and then he released the jutsu, letting a jet of water erupt from his mouth. One advantage of having a massive chakra reservoir of his own was the amount of power he could put into even the simplest abilities. Zaku was caught blocking a jab from the clone when the blast hit him low, and with such force that it threw him ten meters through the air. He hit the tree that his teammates were idling by, just above their heads, before falling heavily to the ground.

_**That's better,**_ the Kyuubi grunted, and Naruto was surprised to hear a bit of approval in the fox's tone. _**You have many abilities; don't put yourself in a position that forces you to use only one, especially when fighting multiple opponents. That's a quick way to get yourself killed.**_

_Right. Ah, thanks. _It was clear that the Kyuubi was not accustomed to gratitude; Naruto could tell that his silence this time was touched with annoyance. Unfortunately there was no time to tease.

Zaku groaned and lifted himself from the ground, using only one arm and holding the other close to his chest. Dosu and Kin looked impressed, though not surprised.

"That's what happens when you get carried away, Zaku," Kin chastised. "Now you got one of your arms broken for no reason."

"Interesting; what's your name?" Dosu asked, pulling back the sleeve from his right arm. He wore a large metal gauntlet; it covered his entire forearm and was perforated along the back. "We're going to get serious now, and it would be rude to kill you before hearing your name at least." Naruto considered the idea; of the Sound genin he seemed to be the calmest, and his request seemed more respectful and matter-of-fact than mocking.

"Uzumaki Naruto. And I don't plan on losing to you." Naruto formed the clone seal again, summoning five more clones. They crouched all around him, ready for the impending fight. _Any suggestions for fighting three at once?_ The Kyuubi's silence told him there would be no further advice offered. He clenched his jaw and tried to focus on what the fox had already shared with him. _Find their weaknesses, use different techniques. None of them look cocky now, just serious._

"I am Dosu, and this is Zaku and Kin. As you've been told, we're Orochimaru's subordinates, and under orders to assassinate Uchiha Sasuke. Although . . ." He shook his head and clenched his fist a few times, then dropped into a standard taijutsu stance. Kin drew out several long senbon, half of which had a bell tied to the end. Zaku extended his good hand and stared daggers. "We'll figure that out later." Without another word Dosu leapt forward.

Everything happened too fast for Naruto to register completely, and his body moved on instinct. A single burst of wind from Zaku forced him to dodge to his left. His eyes flicked to Kin, whose arm was just fully extending as she let loose several needles. He altered his sideways jump into a roll, narrowly avoiding the senbon and coming up in time to deflect Dosu's swipe. After the initial flurry of attacks his clones engaged Kin and Zaku, doing their best to keep their focus so that Naruto could deal with their leader.

An instant after turning Dosu's blow aside he knew something was wrong. The world started spinning and he staggered back; it was all he could do not to fall over. The ear closest to the avoided punch was ringing and in a piercing pain. There was an inexplicable trickle of blood flowing down his neck on the same side. Naruto jumped back out of range, looking up wildly at his adversary with one eye tightly closed.

_Calm down, _he thought, trying not to jump to conclusions. _Ear's bleeding, I'm dizzy, but he didn't hit me. _It was difficult to go through the thought process rapidly; Dosu wasn't likely to give him more than an instant's leeway. But it wasn't difficult for Naruto to pick out the likely cause. _Okay, he's a close range fighter. Stay away from the glove._ He could feel the Kyuubi nod, and he almost grinned despite the nausea creeping inside of him.

Dosu came again, but this time Naruto kept his distance. He wasn't sure how far away the ability might affect him from, but he made sure to keep a few meters between them. He summoned more clones to engage for him, but every one that got close collapsed and went up in a cloud of smoke. _**Sound, kid, it's sound. Why do you think your damned ear is bleeding?**_

_I figured that out, thanks, but how do I fight against sound?_ Naruto responded angrily, rebounding off of a tree to stay out of Dosu's reach.

_**Find something to stick in your ears; rubber would be best.**_ When all he received was a confused silence he growled, annoyed again. _**Either fight him using ninjutsu or put something in your ears. Now.**_

Naruto decided to try both. He began molding the chakra as he jumped back from another blow, this one closer and causing him to wince in pain. _Fuuton: Gale Palm!_ He thrust out his right hand, creating a gust of air with several times the force of the one Hinata had made the night before. Whereas she had molded the right amount of chakra for the task, he merely threw his proverbial muscle behind the technique. The wind hit Dosu in a gust several seconds long, and though he had braced himself he was still pushed back several meters. But Naruto's intent had only been to gain those few seconds.

A kunai was in his hand almost as soon as the jutsu was released, and he bent forward to cut two rounded gouges into the rubber sole of his left tabi. It took several seconds, and he was forced to use a replacement in order to avoid a few senbon from Kin. The technique took him to an overhanging branch, where he hurriedly shoved the dirty pieces of rubber into his ears as far as he could. It hurt, but a moment later the world went quiet; only the sound of his racing heart and quickened breathing invaded the silence.

He dove towards Dosu now, ready to go on the offensive. Mid-flight he threw several kunai towards Kin and Zaku, both of whom were only contending with a single clone each now. One of the weapons took Kin in the leg and she stumbled, allowing his clone to strike a vicious upper-cut into her jaw. Zaku jumped back nimbly, activating his Air Cutter to reroute the kunai into the bunshin he was fighting.

Dosu met Naruto with a hard hook, which the blond blocked out towards his undamaged ear. To Dosu's surprise, Naruto appeared to be unharmed. With a smirk he twisted and drove his heel into the Sound-nin's chest, feeling a satisfying crack as the other boy careened away. Unfortunately for Naruto, he hadn't heard the shout from Zaku due to his ear protection.

"Maximum Air Cutter!" While he was spared the worst of the supersonic effects of the technique, Naruto was finally caught by Zaku's ability. It didn't have the same force that Orochimaru's technique had, but it still hit like a solid wall and sent him smashing into a tree for the second time in twenty-four hours. Naruto grunted as he hit the ground, struggling to reorient himself. His earplugs had been blasted away by the wind, causing the sounds of battle to return painfully. And then he heard bells.

When Naruto picked himself up and cast around for his adversaries, they were . . . Everywhere. Twenty Dosus were flanked by a score of Kins, with as many Zakus just behind them. They shimmered in a way that made Naruto dizzy, and he fell to one knee. He threw several shuriken at the group, but they passed right through. His head was starting to spin, and all he could hear now was the tinkling of bells.

"Good combo," Dosu grunted from somewhere within the copies. All of them were standing a bit stiffly, left arm clutched to their side where Naruto's kick had landed. Twenty Zakus smirked and pointed their palms at their disabled enemy. Kin – all of her – looked to be gripping something that Naruto couldn't see, but she also seemed to be grinning mischievously. The Dosus all stepped forward, a motion that almost made Naruto throw up. His head was spinning; every movement any of them made only exacerbated the incapacitating nausea. Still all he could hear were bells ringing.

And then the feeling vanished as quickly as it had come. Dosu and Zaku let out curses at the same time, leaping back from Kin. The young woman was standing, her arms extended, smiling sweetly at her companions. Several senbon stuck out of the two male Sound-nin's backs, blood dripping from their tips. A few of them had bells attached, too; they could only have been thrown by Kin.

_**Get up, you idiot, **_the Kyuubi barked, startling Naruto to his feet. His ear was still bleeding, and though his vision was clearing everything was still a bit hazy. He looked blearily from Kin to Zaku, then he blinked at Dosu. The older boy was quavering, eyes wide, and his muscles were straining as if working against an invisible force. Zaku looked wholly confused and panicked, moving his arm quickly from one of his allies to the other.

"Zaku, I can't move," Dosu growled, eyes flickering down. Kin smirked and cast a few more senbon at Zaku, who cursed again and dodged behind a tree. He came flying back out a moment later, tumbling several times on the ground before coming to a stunned halt.

"Shikamaru, Chouji; you can come out now!" Kin called gleefully. Naruto looked about as confused as Zaku had until Chouji stepped out from behind a tree, the same one Zaku had attempted to hide behind. Shikamaru stood slowly from the bushes on Naruto's right side, his hands held in the rat seal.

"Oy, Naruto," Shikamaru said calmly, keeping his eyes fixed on Dosu. "You sure got into a troublesome situation."

"Shikamaru," Naruto started slowly, shaking his head in a vain attempt to clear it of fuzziness. All it succeeded in doing was making his headache worse. "Chouji, and . . . Ino?" He looked curiously at Kin, who grinned wider and nodded.

"Formation Ino-Shika-Chou success!" she shouted triumphantly. Shikamaru gave her an annoyed look, and Chouji looked like he wanted to go back behind the tree. "Now then," Ino continued, still inside of Kin's body. "Only one left!" She lifted a kunai to her own throat and stared at Zaku, who was just rolling to his feet from Chouji's blow. "Surrender, both of you, or I'll kill your teammate." Zaku seemed to consider that for a moment, then twisted and threw his hand towards Shikamaru.

The blast of wind wasn't a strong one, but it was enough to throw Shikamaru off balance and negate his technique. He swore as Dosu charged him, free of the confines of the shadow.

"Don't get close!" Naruto yelled, leaping towards Zaku. The small area erupted into chaos again as the two pairs engaged, but it was clear that Shikamaru was outclassed by his adversary. Chouji, despite looking as if he wanted nothing more than to flee, charged towards Dosu as well, his right fist expanding to the size of the rest of his body. Kin, still possessed by Ino's technique, just stood there dumbfounded, still holding the knife to her own neck.

Even with a few broken ribs Dosu was a formidable opponent. Shikamaru tried to keep his distance as Naruto had advised, but the Sound-nin was fast. Only Chouji's wild, sweeping punches kept him away, though with every attack Dosu got closer. When Shikamaru made an unfortunate misstep and stumbled backwards, he was struck with a hard backhand across the right side of his face. Added to the explosion of pain in his skull was a dizzying effect that made his vision blur, and his ear felt like it had been ripped off. Shikamaru cried out and toppled to the ground, writhing for a moment as he clutched his bleeding ear before going still.

With only one arm Zaku was on the defensive against Naruto, forced to dodge back the majority of the time and never risk throwing punches. But the blond had prioritized his taijutsu training in his youth, and it was a skill that Zaku clearly lacked. In short order Naruto had him unconscious, the result of a feinted straight kick that had turned into a vicious hook in the blink of an eye. As he pivoted to face Dosu, though, the Sound shinobi was delivering a devastating gauntleted punch to Chouji's torso, sending the rotund genin spinning off into the woods.

Naruto was tired. Even his chakra wasn't unlimited, and he had already summoned plenty of clones on top of using several techniques with too much chakra added in. He had also been keeping a constant flow of chakra to his limbs to increase his speed and strength. With all of that – on top of inadequate rest and being beaten down already – his breath was understandably ragged. As Dosu turned towards him and Kin, he felt a very real flash of fear.

_Now would be the time; I don't have much left on my own._

_**You'll be fine.**_ Naruto blinked and felt a surge of anger at the Kyuubi, but he heard a sigh and the fox continued. _**Can't you feel that?**_ It took a second to concentrate, but when Naruto did feel it he balked and took a step back.

_That's . . . Orochimaru's chakra. But it's coming from__–"_

_**Up there, yes. More specifically, from the Uchiha boy.**_ _**He probably woke up.**_

And then the tree next to Naruto groaned, letting out several thunderous cracks. Without having to check he knew it was the one that they had hidden in, and somehow the massive structure was splintering from the inside. Dosu, Kin, and Naruto turned to stare at the tree as a flash of dark purple light erupted from above, a solid streak of dark chakra slicing down the length of the trunk all the way to the forest floor. With a tremendous groan and another loud snap the wood splintered, and the giant structure began to fall to either side, cut cleanly in two. As the two halves hit the ground with earth-shaking force, two figures appeared at the base of the trunk, one of which was swathed in a spiral of indigo chakra.

Sasuke stood there, his crimson eyes hard on Dosu. His right fist was flexing steadily, clenching and unclenching. Hinata hung under his other arm, like he had simply picked her up about the waist and carried her without effort. Her eyes were wide and terrified, but she appeared unharmed. She was staring at what she could see of Sasuke, and it took Naruto only a breath to understand why. The left side of Sasuke's body was coated with black marks that resembled flames, like somebody had tattooed them across his body. They burned golden for a moment, visibly spreading across his face and presumably the rest of his body.

"Hinata wouldn't let me out," he said in a deadly calm tone, not turning to look at Naruto. "So I made another way out." Sasuke glanced at him now, eyes burning with malice. "Which one of them did that to you?" As he spoke he lowered Hinata down until her feet touched the ground, helping her straighten before he turned back to Dosu. "That one?"

"Sasuke, you're alright," Naruto panted. But the joy at of his friend's recovery was significantly dampened by the malicious chakra flowing about him. It _was_ Orochimaru's, or at least something tainted by it. It felt . . . wrong. "What's wrong with–"

"I asked who did that," Sasuke interrupted harshly. Hinata backed away; a trickle of blood made its way down to her chin from biting her lower lip so hard. Naruto looked concernedly towards her for a second before straightening.

"Sasuke, calm down; I'm alright. I don't know what that is, but you need to stop it. Can't you feel that?"

Sasuke could feel it. It felt simultaneously incredible and terrible, exhilarating and terrifying. There was power surging through him, strength like he had never known, but it was marred by a feeling of dread and filth. While he had slept Sasuke had been submitted to the scenes of his past, of his parents' dead bodies and of Itachi torturing him with the Mangekyo Sharingan. It had played over and over until he couldn't take it any longer. In his dream state Sasuke had killed his brother; he had savagely murdered him and gotten his revenge. It had felt _good._ The power was trying to remind him of his purpose, the reason he was still alive. _To avenge my clan._

But Naruto was right. Sasuke could see the look on Hinata's face; she was stricken with terror at the very sight of him. The chakra was twisting his mind, and he knew it, but it was so hard to resist.

Dosu looked almost as frightened as Hinata. His hand was shaking as he reached behind his belt and knelt quickly, laying a Scroll of Earth on the ground before him. "It's clear that we won't be able to complete our mission," he said slowly, sounding calm despite himself. "It seems that Orochimaru did something on his own without telling us. If you will let us go, I'll give you this scroll and promise you no harm for the remainder of this second exam."

"You expect me to let you leave after what you've done?" Sasuke snapped, striding forward. Even though he knew that letting Dosu go was the best thing to do, that his allies needed help, he couldn't stop himself. An intense desire to kill had taken hold of him, and it was aimed solely at the Sound-nin before him. The black marks glowed again and spread further across his features, and without his knowledge a maddened grin had quirked the corners of his lips upward. "I'm going to make you beg me for your life."

"Sasuke!" Naruto's yell accompanied a dark blur that appeared in front of him, blocking his path to Dosu. "Snap out of it! This isn't you at all, and you know it!" A mixture of guilt and annoyance took hold of Sasuke, and before he could stop himself his fist had shot towards his friend's jaw.

Naruto had underestimated the blow, but the Kyuubi's chakra had come when he called for it. He caught Sasuke's fist in his hand, and the force of it pushed him back a few centimeters. Even with the fox's cloak up, Sasuke's punch could have easily broken his jaw. As it was his palm burned and his knuckles cracked from the chakra-laced blow, but he held fast, staring hard into his friend's eyes. They stood like that for a long moment, meeting gazes without blinking. Naruto tightened his grip on Sasuke's fist, but he didn't push back.

"Sasuke," he said in a softer, quiet voice. "I don't know what happened to you, but you're stronger than this. The Sasuke I know wouldn't just kill somebody like that, and he'd never think of torturing anybody. He's given up; let him go." Naruto reached out and placed his other hand on his friend's shoulder, slowly allowing the Kyuubi's chakra to fade. As his eyes returned to blue, he smirked very slightly. "C'mon jerk. Get back to normal already."

It felt like an eternity to Sasuke, but after a long and painful moment he sighed, then forced the power away. It was difficult on more than one level; not only was the opposing chakra strong, but it was tempting as well. It was so much power, right at his fingertips, but he had to refuse and push it back. The marks receded gradually, fading into clear skin again until the only ones left were a trio of tomoe, set in a circle on the back of his neck.

Sasuke fell backwards, slumping onto the ground and breathing hard. Naruto let out a sigh of relief, though he turned to Dosu warily. The Sound-nin was already next to Zaku, lifting the unconscious boy to his shoulder before looking carefully from Naruto to Kin.

"Ino," Naruto called over his shoulder, "You can release her now. They're leaving." Kin nodded, and raised her hands into a modified ox seal before her body collapsed limply to the ground. Naruto waited a moment, then nodded to Dosu, who hurried to her and lifted her with his other arm.

"Thank you," he said simply, turning to regard Sasuke and Naruto. "If we encounter one another in the next exam, I promise that we will not run or hide. But for now we must live; there is something I have to find out." With that he turned, disappearing into the thick woods without a sound.

* * *

/*\

* * *

Naruto slumped down to sit next to Sasuke, breathing hard. Ino ran out of the woods to Shikamaru, and Hinata rushed to her friends a moment later.

"Naruto-kun," she started in a hurried whisper, kneeling next to him and placing a hand gingerly on the side of his head. "Why didn't you use the Kyuubi's chakra like you said? You're hurt now and . . ." Hinata trailed off when he shook his head, lifting his hand to tug her wrist down.

"He wouldn't let me; he wanted to teach me a lesson." Even Sasuke managed a grunt at that, though Hinata looked distressed. Naruto shook his head again. "He was right, though. I can't just rely on his chakra to get stronger. But I'm fine, Hinata-chan. Can you go look after Chouji and Shikamaru?" She bit her lip again, but nodded and ran into the trees where Chouji had been thrown. Naruto wondered for a second how she knew where he was, then rolled his eyes at his own ignorance. _She was watching the whole thing._

"Thanks," Sasuke rasped quietly. Naruto glanced at his friend, noting that he was still holding a hand to the mark on his neck. He frowned, but nodded at Sasuke, waiting for him to continue. "I . . . I need to talk to you both after this test, and Kakashi-sensei, too." He was staring at the ground, his Sharingan still active despite how exhausted he must have been. There was something different about him, beyond the external mark of the seal.

"Sasuke, what happened to you?" The question was offered lightly enough, but it made Sasuke flinch.

"I'm not sure, but . . ." He shook his head, struggling to push himself up. "I'll talk to you about it later. Now that we have the other scroll, we have to get to the tower. It's dangerous to stay out here any longer than we have to." Naruto couldn't argue with that, even if he was worried about his friend. He stood slowly, offering a hand to Sasuke. As he reached to grab Naruto's wrist, a lance of pain shot through his neck and down his spine. He grunted and gripped hard, wincing as he pulled himself up with Naruto's help.

Hinata came back a few seconds later with Chouji hauled over one shoulder. Due to the boy's girth she was hunched over and seemed to be struggling a little. She was grateful when Naruto hurried over to help, and together they eased him down next to Shikamaru and Ino.

"I can't tell how badly he's hurt," Ino fretted. "That guy did something to his head, and he won't wake up."

"May I take a look?" Hinata asked hesitantly, sounding as if she didn't want to offend the other girl. Ino flashed her a haughty look that softened almost immediately, and she quickly moved from Shikamaru's side to allow Hinata space. The brunette knelt beside Shikamaru and placed a hand on either side of his head, closing her eyes as her palms began to glow green. Ino's eyes widened at that, but she said nothing. After a few tense moments Hinata let out a breath, turning a tired smile up towards Ino. "He's alright; his eardrum ruptured, though. I repaired the damage, but the sound waves plus the blow to his head might keep him unconscious for a while."

"Don't have time to be unconscious; that would be troublesome," Shikamaru groaned, causing Hinata to jump. He didn't move, and he kept his eyes closed, but continued to speak slowly and more strongly with every word. "Those holes on his arm guard . . . They emit sound waves. They were strong enough to shock the semicircular canals in my inner ear, which threw me off balance and got my head spinning. I didn't have a chance of staying conscious with that and being hit by a giant metal glove." He groaned again, but finally opened his eyes blearily. "How's Chouji?"

"He's fine," Hinata said quickly, glancing at the large boy. "He only had a bruise on his chest and the back of his head; I think he hit a tree and got knocked out, too. I fixed the bruises, but I'm surprised that none of his bones broke."

"That's our Chouji," Ino said proudly. "Don't tell him I told you, but he's got a lot of 'insulation', if you know what I mean. He always says he's just big boned, though." Though he remained unconscious, a vein bulged on Chouji's forehead and his face contorted slightly. Ino blanched and scooted back quickly.

"Thank you," Naruto stated seriously, looking towards Shikamaru and Ino. "If you guys hadn't arrived when you did, I might have been done for."

_**Like I would have let that happen,**_the Kyuubi scoffed. _**Those Sound-nin were weaklings; you could have taken them easily with my chakra. But, **_he continued, and Naruto could feel the smug smirk in his tone, _**You didn't do half bad without it, kid. You need to train harder, though.**_ Naruto ignored his backhanded compliment; there were more important things to take care of.

"Hey, we're all Konoha genin," Shikamaru sighed, sitting up slowly and wincing. "It's troublesome, but I know you'd have done the same for us." Naruto grinned at him then, and he returned it with a smirk of his own.

"Yeah, too bad they didn't have the scroll we need though," Ino complained. Sasuke had drifted over during the conversation, and he was holding the Scroll of Earth that the Sound had left behind. Ino scowled at it, but quickly changed her expression when she realized Sasuke was the one holding it. "But ah – Do you guys need that one?"

"Yes," Hinata said quietly. Naruto glanced at her, and she was looking pointedly at him. He didn't have to ask what she was thinking. He nodded and winked at her, and she offered a small smile in return. "But we have a spare Scroll of Heaven that we can give you, in exchange for helping us."

"A spare?" Shikamaru asked dubiously. "You all defeated another team already?" Hinata nodded and reached into her back belt pouch, withdrawing the white scroll they had taken the day before.

"Yeah; you'd be surprised at some of the teams in this exam," Sasuke muttered. "It's like their senseis don't care if they die."

"Well, we can't take the scroll; it wouldn't be right," Shikamaru started, his brow still furrowed against the pain in his head. "If there are more teams that weak, there's no reason we sh–"

"Of course we'll take it!" Ino cut in, glaring at Shikamaru. "We fought those Sound-nin too; it's not like we didn't earn it. Right, Sasuke-kun?" She batted her eyelashes at him several times, but Sasuke only looked blankly at her. Naruto scratched his head, wondering why she was asking somebody who hadn't been present for Team Ten's contribution.

"We're heading straight to the tower from here," Naruto said, wincing as he stretched. Hinata came over to him quickly and tugged on one of his sleeves, giving him one of her rare no-nonsense looks. He smirked and raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture, sinking to the ground to sit cross-legged while she began healing his injuries. "Anyway, I think it would be best for both of us if you took the other scroll. That way we can head there together, right? Since we have no reason to fight one another we can just work together now." Shikamaru considered that, then shrugged.

"That's a valid point. Plus it's likely that there will be teams hiding near the tower to pick off other teams looking to get there. From the map that Anko showed us, assuming it was accurate, it looked like there was an open space between the woods and the tower. That perimeter is an ideal place to set traps." Naruto blinked at Shikamaru, and then nodded slowly. He hadn't considered that. It was potentially more dangerous within the last few hundred meters to the tower than in the rest of the forest combined.

"Great!" Ino leapt up and held out her hand expectantly. Naruto raised an eyebrow, but glanced up at Hinata. She reached forward and gingerly placed the Scroll of Heaven in the other girl's palm. Ino beamed and did a little dance in place. "Yes! We passed! Chouji, it's time to wake up." She started prattling at her unconscious teammate while Hinata finished tending to Naruto's head. When she moved to start checking the rest of him for bruises, he noticed that the corners of her eyes were glistening.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly; only Sasuke might have been able to hear for how softly he spoke. Hinata nodded stiffly and tugged his sleeve again, beckoning him to his feet. As he stood she pressed her hands to his chest, and she winced when he tensed up.

"What kind of lesson was worth you getting hurt so badly?" she asked after a moment, her voice tight. The pain of his bruises was fading quickly thanks to her medical ninjutsu, but Zaku's Air Cutter had done a number on his right side, and the subsequent impact with the tree had left a lot more bruised. The spikes of discomfort near his ribs indicated that there had been plenty of minor fractures, too.

"I'm not hurt that bad, Hinata-chan," he said with an encouraging smile. "And he would have helped if I was really in trouble; he doesn't want to die, either. Besides," he continued, his expression sobering a bit. "I did learn the lesson, I think." Sasuke had been pretending not to listen, but nodded at his friend's admission. Hinata said nothing, but a surge of emerald chakra near his sternum told him that she wasn't convinced.

Chouji woke up just before Hinata finished her healing. Ino had been watching her with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief, though when Naruto glanced at her she quickly returned to chattering at Shikamaru about what she was planning to do once they got to the tower. While her teammate was groggily returning to consciousness she made sure to berate him as well for being beaten 'so easily'.

Hinata sighed and stepped back from Naruto, looking even more tired than she had the night before. Naruto knew that healing so many people in such a short period of time was draining on her, but he hadn't realized just much strain it was until Hinata wavered precariously on her feet. He stepped forward quickly and caught her before she fell, slipping an arm under her shoulder to support her weight.

"You can release your Byakugan," he said with no small amount of concern. "We've got friends to help us now, and you've already used too much chakra." Hinata started to shake her head at him, but the look he gave her changed her mind. She flushed lightly and nodded instead, and the visible veins around her eyes receded. He turned towards Team Ten, who were all just getting to their feet with Shikamaru and Ino helping Chouji. "You all ready to go?"

"As ready as we can be," Shikamaru shrugged, sounding a little annoyed. "I wish we had some time to recover, but I know that we don't."

"If we get to the tower before midday, we'll have over three days to rest while the others finish." Sasuke's breathing was almost back to normal, but he was exhausted, and every so often a surge of pain shot down through the back of his neck. "Let's just go slow and be careful." Naruto nodded at his friend, then at their allies. And then he picked Hinata up.

His supporting arm slid down to brace her upper back while he swept down with his right, catching her legs behind the knees and lifting her from the ground and into his arms. She let out a tiny squeak and turned a brilliant shade of red despite her fatigue; Hinata was never too tired to blush.

"N-Naruto-kun, I can walk!" she insisted, though it was a half-hearted assurance. In reality she _had_ used too much chakra. After the previous day against Orochimaru, not getting enough rest, and healing four people throughout, Hinata wanted nothing more than to rest. She wasn't very adept at medical ninjutsu yet, so a lot of chakra was wasted in the process.

"I know you can, but I want to carry you. You're tired," Naruto said cheerily. Hinata blinked at him, then lowered her gaze and nodded, trying her best not to deepen the blush. "Plus I'm all better now, so don't worry about me." Sasuke rolled his eyes, but couldn't suppress a small smirk.

"Alright you two, no flirting until we get to the tower." Naruto blinked at him curiously, then grinned sheepishly and reddened. Sasuke couldn't see Hinata's face from where he stood, but he could only imagine her expression. "I'll take point. Team Ten should travel together in the middle, and Naruto will bring up the rear with Hinata. Do any of you know how far from the tower we are? We got a little disoriented last night."

"Four and a half kilometers, north by northwest." They all turned to look at Shikamaru, who scowled under their collective stares. "What? You all saw the map too."

"Yeah, but I don't think any of us know exactly where the tower is from here. I know it's that way some distance," Sasuke said, waving a hand towards the northwest, "But that's some sense of direction and awareness you've got." Shikamaru just shrugged; Sasuke did the same, then turned a little further north than where he had waved. "Anyway, let's get going. Even moving slowly we should be able to get there in twenty minutes." Ino, Shikamaru, and the still woozy Chouji nodded along with Naruto and Hinata.

Naruto took up position a few meters behind Team Ten as they jumped into the trees, taking care not to jostle Hinata as he moved. She was doing her best to stay very still, arms folded over her chest and gripping hard at her sleeves. A few minutes passed before Naruto glanced down, blinking several times before smiling and squeezing her arm.

"You can relax, Hinata-chan; we're almost there." She jumped when he said her name, as if he had startled her out of a reverie.

"It's not . . . It's not that. I'm just not . . . used to being carried," she mumbled, starting to turn red all over again.

"But I've carried you to bed plenty of times," Naruto pointed out, furrowing his brow slightly. Hinata flushed fully and ducked her head again.

"That was different; I was asleep, and you told me after the fact."

"Oh, well," he started, looking abashed. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I wanted to let you rest a little."

"I'm not uncomfortable," she said quickly. "But what about you? Even you have to be tired after using so much chakra." Hinata, as always, was more concerned with her friends' wellbeing than with her own. Naruto shook his head wearily, an acknowledgement in and of itself.

"I am, but I'll be okay. Sasuke always says that I've got enough chakra for the whole team, anyway." He grinned and she couldn't help but give him a small smile back. Hinata closed her eyes and leaned her head against his shoulder, relaxing in the comfort of his arms. She was sleeping lightly within seconds.

* * *

/*\

* * *

Sasuke held out an arm as he landed on the ground, signaling for a silent halt. The procession came to a stop behind him, looking around warily. Chouji was moving on his own power again, though he was still looking a little pale.

"What's–" Ino began, but Shikamaru had his hand over her mouth before she could go any further. She glared at him, but the boy put a finger to his lips in a hushing motion before lowering his hand again. He returned his gaze to Sasuke, looking serious. The Uchiha raised one hand, holding up three fingers, then pointed two into the dense woods in front of them. He then glanced back at Naruto, who was still holding Hinata's slumbering form. Sasuke rolled his eyes and pointed at Hinata, then tapped near his eyes. Naruto nodded.

He knelt down and gently lowered her to the ground, still holding her back and head steady. He tapped her shoulder twice with his free hand, and her eyes fluttered open. She seemed confused at first, then flushed when she realized how she was being held. Her lips parted to speak but Naruto quickly pressed a finger to them, shaking his head and nodding to the woods. He mouthed 'Byakugan', and Hinata nodded slowly.

_Byakugan._ As her enhanced eyes adjusted she sat up, turning towards the rest of the group and peering past them into the woods. To her surprise, she could see the tower only two hundred meters away, but she could also see plenty of other things. At least six motionless bodies lay scattered in the woods around her, with innumerable shuriken and kunai riddling the areas around them. There was also a fairly advanced genjutsu affecting the area directly ahead of them, and three more genin – all alive but hidden – up ahead and a little off to their left. Each of them wore what looked like a gas mask, and their hitai-ate suggested their affiliation with the Hidden Rain.

Hinata quickly ran through several hand seals, then blew gently at the air in front of her as if she were planting a kiss in the empty space. _Fuuton: Wind Whisper._ All of Team Ten glanced around, looking startled when Hinata's voice came clearly to them. "There's an elaborate genjutsu just ahead, and three genin from the Rain about a hundred meters northwest. I think they've been waiting here and . . . killing anyone that got near. It looks like two teams are down." Naruto and Sasuke nodded, and once the rest had figured out what was going on they did as well.

"I'll take care of them," Sasuke whispered after running through the required seals. Naruto had executed the jutsu as well, and he shook his head before speaking.

"You're still low on chakra too, Sasuke; I'll go." He carefully cut off Team Ten from the next part of his communication, covering his lips as well just in case. "I'm worried about that mark on you, and I can tell you're in pain. The Kyuubi will let me use his chakra this time, so don't worry about it." After a second of consideration he turned to his own thoughts. _Right?_

_**Might as well; they're weak anyway. Just don't make it a habit.**_

_Yeah, yeah, you told me enough times already. I just want to get to the tower as quickly as possible so we can rest._ The fox didn't respond, but Naruto thought he could sense a small amount of understanding. It could have been his imagination, though.

Hinata looked worriedly to him, but Naruto leaned down and squeezed her shoulder, winked, and stepped ahead of the group. "Lead me to them, and let me know when to dispel the genjutsu," he said back to Hinata, still using the Wind Whisper technique. She nodded to him as he looked back, and then he disappeared into the woods.

Naruto maneuvered silently through the trees, ever cautious of traps or ambushes. With Hinata watching his back, though, it wasn't much of a worry. The downside of their communication method was that the Wind Whisper jutsu distorted and delayed sound the further away they were; it was a kink they had yet to work out. When Hinata's voice reached him it sounded frail, but clear, and it was likely a few seconds old.

"You're inside it now." He stopped as soon as he heard her, bringing his hands together in a tiger seal. _Kai._ The forest churned for a long moment, some sections dissolving while others seemed to spiral across his vision from one place to another. It was a dizzying effect, and nearly nausea inducing, but once it was finished Naruto was looking at a very different scene, even though it was still just dark and empty forest.

"It's dispelled; thanks, Hinata-chan."

"The three genin are in a tree thirty meters ahead. Forward about twenty, and ten meters at your eleven o'clock."

"Got it." Naruto took in a deep breath and focused then. It was a little more difficult than normal, but in short order the orange chakra was coating his limbs and his eyes flickered red. He glanced behind himself and raised an eyebrow. _No tail?_

_**You don't need it,**_ the demon fox replied calmly, _**And you're too worn out to handle the rest. You just haven't realized it yet.**_ Naruto considered that and nodded; if the Kyuubi said that his chakra was so depleted, it probably was.

It turned out that the three shinobi from the Hidden Rain were not used to being ambushed. Rather than approach quietly, Naruto simply used his increased speed to follow Hinata's directions and simply appear behind the trio. He had a feeling that if one of them was a genjutsu specialist, he or another member of the team might be a sensory type as well. Naruto didn't want to take any chances on being spotted before he got close enough to attack.

The first two Rain-nin toppled out of the tree, unconscious after a pair of chakra enhanced blows to the backs of their heads. The third was a bit quicker on the uptake, rolling away to avoid an axe kick that would have landed him beside his allies. He let out a curse and leapt back from the tree branch he had been found on, hands flying through seals. A few clones congealed out of a thick, black liquid that appeared in the air around him, and a moment later he was sending several kunai flying towards Naruto.

The partially formed clones fell to the forest floor in piles of sludge, hitting the ground as their summoner's kunai struck the tree. Naruto had vanished and appeared behind him in the blink of an eye, spinning and catching the back of his neck with a simple round kick. It may have been a simple strike, but it had enough force behind it to nearly break the genin's spine. Luckily his body merely snapped back before falling heavily to the ground not far from his comrades.

"Done," Naruto said a moment later as he landed, checking quickly to make sure the other two were still unconscious. He leaned down to place two fingers on the last one, letting out a relieved sigh when he found a pulse. "You can move up now, if it's still clear." He quickly released the Kyuubi's chakra, not wanting any unnecessary questions from the others.

A few seconds later they all dropped to the forest floor from above, glancing around warily. Sasuke was supporting Hinata, though she seemed to be doing a little better than before. Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino stared wide-eyed at the downed genin, then at Naruto. The blond boy shrugged and laced his fingers behind his head, grinning broadly.

"I'm starting to think that Asuma-sensei may have been overconfident in us," Ino said weakly. Chouji nodded rapidly several times before reaching into his back pouch and withdrawing a piece of cake, of all things. He started into it like someone who hadn't eaten in days. Sasuke ignored them and went to search the downed Rain-nin, leaving Hinata to lean on Naruto.

"I just caught them by surprise, thanks to Hinata-chan," Naruto said, rolling his shoulders again before slipping his arm around her waist to help support her. "They definitely weren't close-range fighters, either." Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, and he was studying Naruto's expression carefully. It made him feel a little uneasy. Thankfully Sasuke distracted them by dropping three Scrolls of Earth on the ground between them.

"These are the ones they had," he said wryly. "Looks like they were just unlucky."

"What should we do with them?" Hinata asked, though she knew how he would respond before the question came out.

"Burn them," Sasuke stated simply. Naruto quirked an eyebrow, but Shikamaru only nodded grimly.

"It means less competition in the next stage," the Nara boy said thoughtfully. "Which means the rest of us have a better chance of getting through the next round, most likely. It'll be pretty troublesome for those with Scrolls of Heaven." Sasuke nodded, and a moment later Naruto did as well.

Sasuke knelt down next to the three scrolls, extending a hand and concentrating. He had very little chakra to spare, but this technique was minor. As he gathered the chakra, however, a jolt of pain shot through his body, originating from the seal on his neck. He winced, but managed to grunt out, "Katon: Flame Contagion." A single spark shot from his palm and landed on the nearest scroll, smoldering for a few seconds. Then the little ember jumped again, splitting into two, then four, and continuing to multiply and spread to the other scrolls. The fire they started was small and controlled, and from the look of intense concentration on Sasuke's face it could be assumed that he was the one guiding the progress.

A few minutes later the scrolls had been reduced to ash, and Sasuke lowered his arm wearily. A sheen of sweat had broken near his hairline, something that drew concerned looks from both Hinata and Naruto. Such a minor version of that technique wouldn't have caused their friend any noticeable strain unless he really was dangerously low on chakra.

"Hinata-chan, are there any more traps or genin from here to the tower?" Naruto asked. She shook her head a moment later, nodding towards the thinning trees.

"There's nothing that I can see. If we go that way, we shouldn't encounter anything else." She let out a small sound of protest as Naruto lifted her again, though he seemed not to notice and turned to smirk at Sasuke.

"Want me to carry you too, Sasuke?" His friend glared at him, though there was no real malice behind the look. As a response Sasuke straightened and started making his way unceremoniously towards the tower, and after a few seconds Team Ten followed. Naruto chuckled softly, winked down at Hinata, and followed.

As Hinata had assured them, the way to the tower was completely clear. She took one last look before they left the shelter of the trees, and then the six of them rushed to the base of the massive structure. There were sets of double doors all the way around, as far as they could tell, and almost all of them had a paper seal fixed over the gap between each door. Only one had been broken, and it was now chained shut.

"I guess we split up here," Shikamaru said, pointing at the nearest entrance. "I'm betting each team is supposed to have their own door, otherwise I don't see the purpose in having so many."

"Sounds about right," Sasuke sighed, stepping forward to one of them. He looked back to his teammates, who nodded and moved up behind him. Naruto turned to Shikamaru and smiled.

"Thanks again for your help, and good luck."

"Don't mention it." Shikamaru turned and waved a hand nonchalantly, and his team followed quickly behind. "We'll see you in the next test, whatever it will be." He walked up to the next set of doors and casually shoved them open, breaking the paper seal and disappearing inside with Chouji and Ino in tow.

"Ready?" Sasuke asked, though they all knew that the question was rhetorical. He put a hand on each of the doorknobs and turned them. The paper ripped down the middle as the doors swung inward, revealing a long, dark hallway. He glanced back again at Naruto and Hinata, who both gave him approving looks. Without another word Team Seven stepped forward into the tower, leaving the Forest of Death behind them.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"‛If you do not possess Heaven, gain knowledge and be prepared. If you do not possess Earth, run through the fields and seek strength. If you open the Scrolls of Heaven and Earth, dangerous paths will become safe. This is the secret of . . . something . . . It shall lead you on your way.'"

"Is it supposed to be a riddle?" Naruto asked after Hinata finished reading the text. They were staring up at a framed canvas, hung at the end of a large room that the hallway had led them to. "‛cause it seems pretty obvious that we're just supposed to open both scrolls here."

"I doubt it's a puzzle or anything," Sasuke said tiredly. "We already made it through the test under the conditions the examiner set out."

"I just wonder what the missing part is," Hinata mused, looking more tired than curious.

"Well, if it tells us to open the scrolls maybe we'll find out," Naruto offered. He leaned down and lowered Hinata's legs to the ground, though he kept his arm under her own. With his spare hand he pulled their original Scroll of Heaven from his pouch and held it out, and Sasuke did the same with the Scroll of Earth they had received from the Sound. "Can you get the seal, Hinata-chan?" As his other arm was occupied supporting her, she could only swallow nervously and nod. Her hand shook a little as she lifted the scroll's flap, breaking the seal at the same time Sasuke undid his own. They all looked at one another for a moment, shared a serious silence, and then tore open the scrolls.

Naruto looked down at the unraveled scroll, mystified. There was a large symbol surrounded by script set in a circular pattern, flowing out from the center figure. He was about to ask what it meant when Sasuke lunged forward and grabbed the scroll from him, spinning and throwing both of them clear across the room. Naruto opened his mouth to ask what in the world he was doing, but he stopped when smoke started pouring from the scrolls. A moment later there was a loud popping sound, and a figure appeared within the haze.

"Well I can't say that I'm surprised to see that you three made it, but I . . ." Iruka stepped out from the rising clouds and froze, eyes widening as he focused on the three genin. "Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke; what happened to you? Are you alright?"

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto beamed, though he stayed put next to Hinata. His expression fell quickly into a dubious one, eyeing his former teacher. "Why did you appear from the scrolls?"

"It's a chuunin's job to meet the examinees here when they complete the test," he said slowly, his eyes still full of concern. "But why are you all in such bad shape?" Naruto blinked, and looked down at himself, then at his friends. They were all covered in various forms of grime, from dirt to twigs to burs. It had been a fairly gradual process getting so filthy, so none of them had given it much thought until now. But as Sasuke slumped to the ground, clearly exhausted, and Hinata leaned heavily on him, Naruto realized what Iruka really meant.

"Oh, uh . . ." He hesitated, wondering how much to tell right then. Iruka would certainly get the whole story sooner or later, but for now it would have to be the short version. "We got attacked by a really strong, really creepy guy named Orochimaru, and we need to see Kakashi-sensei as soon as possible." Again the chuunin froze, and his breath caught in his throat. He coughed and sputtered a few times before he was finally able to blurt out a few words.

"Orochimaru?! Are you positive that's who it was?" Naruto nodded once at him, looking grave.

"He did something to Sasuke, but we don't really know what. We though Kakashi-sensei would know what to do." Iruka kept staring for a long moment before snapping himself out of the momentary daze. His voice was sharp when he spoke again, sounding more alarmed and serious than Naruto had ever heard him.

"Come with me." He hurried to Sasuke and pulled him to his feet, supporting him in the same manner that Naruto still held Hinata. "Hurry."

Iruka led them through a series of hallways and up several flights of stairs. When he finally stopped they were standing in front of a door that looked identical to the countless ones they had already passed. He raised a hand and rapped sharply on it. It opened a moment later, and Anko was staring hard at the four of them.

"What do you want, Iruka? We have an emergency we're dealing with."

"Does it involve Orochimaru?" he asked solemnly, meeting her gaze without flinching. The kunoichi balked at that, then moved her eyes over the sorry-looking Team Seven.

"Bring them inside, and then go find Kakashi. He should be with the rest of the jounin on the sixth floor." Iruka grunted and move inside. It was a small room, furnished with a large sofa at its center and several large television screens up against the wall in front of it. Two chuunin proctors were inside, along with the Sandaime. They watched with blank expressions as the trio were escorted in and allowed to take a seat on the couch. Iruka bowed to the Hokage, stole a last glance at Team Seven, and rushed out of the room.

"It's just like he said," Anko growled, beginning to pace as soon as the door was shut. "Orochimaru gave Sasuke the Cursed Seal of Heaven." She rounded on the Hokage and spread her arms, looking irate and desperate. "Hokage-sama, we _must_ cancel the Chuunin Exam. It's far too dangerous if _he_ is nearby."

"But he warned you not to cancel it," the old man replied calmly, puffing steadily on his pipe. "And taking such an action would most certainly outrage and offend the villages we are hosting. Political unrest coupled with Orochimaru's threat against Konohagakure makes calling off the test impossible."

"But–!" Anko began, but he held up his hand for silence.

"We will take the necessary precautions, Anko. I do not wish to put our genin or anybody else in more danger, but there are too many things that we cannot see or predict. Our best course of action is to continue with the knowledge we have, and make certain that we are well prepared in case of an insurgence."

"Ano, Hokage-sama?" Naruto started hesitantly, earning him a sharp look from Anko and measured one from the Sandaime. "What's a Cursed Seal of Heaven, and what does it do?" He glanced worriedly at Sasuke, who was still holding his neck and trying to look like he wasn't in pain. Hinata seemed concerned as well, though her eyes were half-lidded and she looked to be in danger of nodding off.

"It's Orochimaru's curse mark," Anko spat, and they noticed her hand subconsciously rubbing at her own neck. "It forcibly inserts his chakra into a host, and when you activate the seal it grants you incredible power, but at a cost. Every moment that it's active it will eat away your chakra; if it stays active too much, you can die."

"Stays active? You mean Sasuke can't choose whether or not it happens?" Hinata asked, suddenly looking very awake at the news.

"He's able to suppress it, it looks like, which is more impressive than the fact that he survived in the first place." Naruto and Hinata paled, but Sasuke merely continued to stare at the wall. "But it can react to a number of things and come about on its own. We need to seal it right away; Kakashi knows the technique."

"Sealing a seal?" Naruto asked. "That sounds . . . complicated."

"It is, and it requires a great deal of preparation, focus, and chakra. Not to mention a certain sacrifice on the user's part." Anko looked as if she was going to continue, but the door opened a second later and Kakashi entered. Somehow he managed to look bored even now. His features remained neutral even as Anko broke off to explain the situation. When she finished, he looked at his team, nodded once, and turned to address the Hokage.

"I'm going to take him to the basement and get to work immediately. I would like Hinata and Naruto to accompany me."

"But they need to rest!" Iruka objected, looking appalled by the thought of them having to stay awake a moment longer. Kakashi tilted his head to the side, then spoke in a very low, dangerous tone.

"They aren't your students to coddle any longer, Iruka. They are my subordinates. I know you care about them, but it is no longer up to you to decide what is in their best interest." What little could be seen of Kakashi's expression softened as he looked back towards his three genin. "They are shinobi of the Hidden Leaf now, and I plan to treat them as such." Nobody spoke for several tense moments. Iruka's face held an ever-changing mixture of outrage, sadness, and begrudging acceptance. He finally nodded curtly, bowed to the Sandaime, and left the room without another word.

"That was a bit harsh, Kakashi," the Hokage chided, though he didn't object to the content of the jounin's message. Kakashi bowed before speaking again.

"I apologize, Hokage-sama, but my words stand. These three are strong, and I don't wish for their fortitude to be undermined." _And I want them to be able to stay together. Sasuke shouldn't have to suffer through this without his friends by his side._

"I understand. Please, make haste with the seal. And Team Seven," the Hokage continued, turning to the three pairs of tired eyes. He smiled warmly and touched the brim of his wide hat. "Congratulations on completing the second exam. You've earned your rest." Naruto grinned broadly at him, and even Hinata managed a small smile. Sasuke only looked troubled and distracted.

The next hour passed in a haze of exhaustion. Kakashi led them below the building, into a room built into the foundation. It was very cold, and made entirely of stone with only enough torches to cast an eerie glow throughout.

Kakashi got to work quickly after having them settle down against the wall. He proceeded to cut two large circles in the open space before him, only a centimeter or two apart, and driving a kunai in between them at specific points. He repeated the process again further in, and the result was a set of concentric circles with eight kunai laid out symmetrically within. Kakashi stepped back then and moved to the small kit he had brought with him, withdrawing and inserting a needle into the large vein near the crook of his elbow, drawing it slowly to fill a syringe. Naruto watched as his teacher emptied the blood into a small bowl, and he remained silent as Kakashi set the items down and turned towards them.

"Sasuke," he said quietly, "Take off your shirt and come over here." Still saying nothing, Sasuke did as he was instructed, moving to the centermost circle and allowing Kakashi to guide him into a sitting position at the center. The next step took the longest, though it wasn't for Kakashi's lack of speed. He had taken up the dish containing his blood, and starting around the mark on Sasuke's neck he began painting on the warm liquid with his index and middle fingers. The scrawling runes went down Sasuke's back and chest, connecting to the floor and passing directly through the aligned kunai. It took half an hour to finish, and every ounce of the blood, but finally Kakashi moved to stand behind Sasuke.

Naruto and Hinata had forced themselves to watch and offer no distraction. Without having to say it, they both knew why they were still awake. It would have been all too easy to pass out leaning against that wall, but then their friend would be left to endure this alone. They held on to one another's hands tightly, tensing as Kakashi moved into position.

"This is going to hurt, but it will pass quickly. I know you're exhausted, but bear with it." Sasuke nodded and clenched his jaw. Kakashi waited for a few seconds, then raised his hands.

Kakashi could normally form seals at a blinding speed, but when he began the technique his hands were moving much slower, as if he was being more careful than usual. The sequence was unusually long, and Naruto lost track of how many hand seals were formed after about thirty seconds. When he finally stopped, his hands were held firmly in a rat seal.

"Fuuja Houin." Kakashi lowered his palm to the Cursed Seal of Heaven and pressed hard. For the briefest moment Sasuke thought the jutsu had failed. And then he screamed, his entire body erupting in pain unlike any he had ever experienced. The symbols of blood writhed, coiling towards Kakashi's palm and lifting themselves out of the stone and flesh like living things. It was over in seconds, but it took several more for Sasuke's anguished cries to cease echoing around the stone chamber. The boy was on his hands and knees now, shaking with his eyes shut tightly.

"That jutsu will prevent the seal from activating on its own," he stated calmly, dabbing at his arm with a cloth to clean off the blood. "But it utilizes your will as its source, so to speak. If you waver in your vigilance to keep it contained, the seal will reactivate, and you will be in danger of losing your life. Never forget that."

"Is there . . . a way to get rid of it . . . for good?" Sasuke ground out through his clenched teeth, gasping a moment later and breathing heavily.

"If there is, we don't yet know of it. You'll have to endure it for now." Kakashi sounded as apologetic as he could, which was to say his inflection changed very slightly. Sasuke grunted, and then his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed.

"Sasuke!" Naruto jumped to his feet and ran to his friend, but Kakashi held out a hand to block his way.

"I'll carry him up; you help Hinata. You all need to rest now. There are rooms on the top floor for teams that have already finished."

"They would be on the top floor," Naruto lamented under his breath, sparing a worried glance for Sasuke before rushing back to Hinata. She was already standing on her own, but she seemed grateful when he came to help her follow Kakashi. Exhaustion was doing its best to shut her eyes, and Naruto was beginning to feel the same urge. Without the near constant adrenaline rush they'd experienced through the Forest of Death, they were left with the weight of worry, sore bodies, and extreme fatigue.

After what felt like an eternity they were on the highest floor and in their assigned room. Kakashi had left after laying Sasuke on one of the beds and listing off a few instructions to Naruto and Hinata. Neither of them registered the words entirely; they would have to ask about it when they woke up.

It was tempting to simply fall on to one of the mattresses and let sleep take him, but Naruto groaned and walked to the small bathroom connected to the room. "I'm going to clean up and see if they have spare clothes," he said tiredly. Hinata nodded from her seat on the bed, struggling to stay conscious in order to follow through with the same plan. Luckily Naruto was in and out of the bathroom in just over five minutes, emerging with a plain white shirt and blue shorts.

"There's some clothes in the closet in there," he said tiredly, falling heavily onto the bed next to hers. Hinata jumped; she had been nodding off slowly while waiting for him to come out. She shook herself and nodded, standing slowly and wobbling slightly on her way to the facilities.

When she emerged a few minutes later, clothed in an outfit almost identical to Naruto's, Hinata stumbled over to the nearest bed and crawled into it. Surprisingly enough, it was already warm. She sighed softly, tugging the comforter up to her chin and snuggling into the bed. Her already slipping consciousness didn't register Naruto's arm wrapping around her as she inadvertently burrowed closer to him; he wouldn't realize it either until they awoke many hours later.

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**Author's Note:**

Heya folks. I had some fun writing this chapter, admittedly, though it stretched my abilities a little with the multi-person action scenes. I do hope you enjoyed it, though.

I changed the summary sometime this weekend (with Rhi's help, of course). The original was just thrown together so that I could start writing, but I wanted to make it more interesting I guess. The new one I think better captivates the whole of the story, and is just plain more intriguing. I think so, anyway!

Speaking of Rhi: a thanks to her again for doing beta things for this chapter. She also wrote a coda to my AU a little bit ago (which I beta'd for her, of course); if you want to check it out, her profile on here is "arhi". (Leave nice reviews!)

Thanks again for reading, reviewing, and the whole shebang. See you next time!

-Wes


	13. Bittersweet Victories

**Chapter 13 – Bittersweet Victories**

"It's . . . hard to describe," Sasuke said dully, staring down at his folded hands. He was sitting on the end of his bed, with his friends on either side of him. The early morning sunlight cast a soft glow through the thin curtains. However, what might have been a comfortable, peaceful environment was tense.

"Sasuke, it's been three days. I know you've talked to Kakashi about it a little, but you said you'd talk to us, too." Naruto wore an uncharacteristically serious expression, a testament to his concern. "All you've said so far is that it wasn't you back there, but it also was at the same time. I don't get it."

"We're only worried about you," Hinata offered quietly. She was fidgeting with the hem of her coat – which had been cleaned along with the rest of their clothes – but in a distracted manner rather than in her usual nervous habit. Sasuke was silent for a time; they had been saying similar things ever since he had recovered from the sealing technique the day before. Kakashi hadn't given him a choice in the matter, but his friends hadn't pressed him too hard. He knew they were concerned.

"You two remember when Itachi murdered my family, as well as the rest of my clan, don't you?" The sudden question caught them off guard, but Hinata and Naruto both nodded; it was impossible to forget such a thing. "In the aftermath and for a few years following I was so focused on killing Itachi. It was all I thought about some days; it distracted me from training even though it should have been motivation to train harder. And it never faded," he continued, his fists clenching. "Not for a single moment. It just got easier to set aside, to focus in the day-to-day. But it's always there, in the back of my mind, reminding me that my older brother took everything from me.

"When I said that it wasn't me back in the forest, in some ways that was true. But . . ." Sasuke struggled to find the words, shutting his eyes tightly for a moment before relaxing again. When he opened his eyes and spoke he sounded tired. "But it _was_ me. Somewhere, deep down, I _wanted_ to hurt that guy. I _wanted_ to kill him in the most painful way I could think of. _I_ wanted that; it was me." Naruto's studying eyes felt like the harshest judgment.

"After I fell unconscious, I had these . . . really vivid dreams; they felt so real at the time. In every single one I had to watch that . . . that scene again." Though his features remained placid, several tears slid their way down his face. "I saw my parents' dead bodies, with Itachi standing over them. I had to experience his Tsukuyomi again . . . and again, and again. I saw how he killed them – every one – in perfect clarity. I thought . . ." Sasuke clenched teeth and shut his eyes again, forcing the choking emotions away. "I had suppressed it; I even stopped having nightmares about it. But . . . In that one night after Orochimaru gave me his curse it all came back, along with every single ounce of my hatred for Itachi. It made me remember it, and once I woke up I knew what it had been trying to do. And . . . it worked.

"When I was finally conscious the chakra was already there, and I could feel the power it gave me. I'm sure you both noticed how strong it was; it felt something like Naruto when he's got that cloak on." Naruto nodded solemnly, flexing his right hand – the one that had caught Sasuke's punch. Hinata inclined her head as well, wiping at the corners of her eyes with her sleeves. "It felt . . . Incredible. It felt like I could do anything with that power, like I could kill Itachi."

"And that's what it wanted you to feel," Naruto said quietly. "Isn't it?"

"I knew it was dangerous, and I knew it was stupid. But . . . I couldn't think straight. All I wanted to do was take out that anger, that terrible hatred on _somebody. _I would have killed Dosu if you hadn't stopped me, Naruto." Hinata bit her lip and glanced at him, but Sasuke only shook his head, his voice growing harder. "I would have, and you know it. And if you had let me stay like that I wouldn't have felt the slightest remorse. I think . . . I think that curse just brought who I really am into light. I feel like I've just been pretending all this time, trying to be something I'm not. In reality, I'm nothing except what he made me. I'm just like him; like Orochimaru."

"You're wrong." Sasuke turned fully to his left and blinked. He wasn't surprised at the words; he had expected them from Naruto. But it had been Hinata who had so fervently spoken. She didn't even flush as they both looked at her. "I said you're wrong, Sasuke-kun." He blinked again several times; Hinata had never attached an endearing suffix to his name, or any at all for that matter. "Itachi didn't take everything from you, and you are what you choose to be." He found his hand tightly grasped in hers, and before he could get a word out Naruto took his other in a similarly firm hold.

"Sasuke," he started, examining his spare hand. "We didn't let you isolate yourself back then, and we won't now or ever. That curse didn't do anything but try to tempt you into becoming somebody you're not. C'mon," Naruto continued, smirking sidewise at his friend. "We've known you for over five years now. You may be a stubborn ass– er, jerk," he corrected, eyes flickering to Hinata. "But you're our friend, and you have to care about us at least a little to put up with me all the time. Haku really likes you, too. He's not the type to like people unless there's good in them."

"He was fond of Zabuza," Sasuke said wryly, though his tone was significantly softer now.

"Kakashi told us what Zabuza said just before he died," Hinata put in. "We know he actually cared about Haku. And I think Haku knows that even if you seem distant and apathetic a lot of times, you're a good person."

"I know that we can't really understand how you feel, Sasuke," Naruto said quietly. His grip tightened on his friend's hand as he continued. "But we've at least lived through enough on our own to know a little of what it's like." He looked past Sasuke to Hinata, who met his gaze for a moment before nodding slowly. "I never had family to lose, not until Iruka-sensei took me in. I've never admitted it, but I was lonely, and a part of me hurt every time I saw kids with their parents. It still does, sometimes. But . . ." A genuine, warm smile tugged at his lips, and he looked appreciatively towards the three of their locked hands. "Thanks to you I get to know what it would be like to have a brother." Sasuke tensed, and for a second Naruto cursed his choice of words. But then he realized that his friend was looking down and trying to hold back tears.

"I . . ." Hinata hesitated, gripping hard at both her coat and Sasuke's hand. "When my father cast me out and I came to live with Iruka-sensei, you were always kind to me, Sasuke-kun. I mean, not that you weren't before," she said quickly, blushing slightly. "But you always encouraged me, in your own way, and never let me get down on myself. I don't . . . I don't know entirely how you feel either, but I do know that you're our friend, and that you're truly a nice person. Nobody, not Orochimaru or Itachi, can take that away. And they can't take us away, either."

"But they can," Sasuke rasped, his tears flowing freely now. "Itachi massacred every other Uchiha alive by himself. And Orochimaru could have killed all three of us easily. That's why that power was so tempting; I don't want to be helpless like that again. I want to have the strength to avenge my clan, and . . ." _And . . ._

And then it hit him. Tears still dripped steadily onto his lap, some falling onto his friends' hands, but Sasuke's expression had smoothed over. His eyes were a little wide as he stared down at Hinata's pale fingers, turning his gaze slowly over to Naruto's a moment later. _And to protect my friends._ They both tightened their hold on his hands, as if they could sense his thoughts.

"And for us," Naruto finished for him. "That's proof enough that you're not like them, Sasuke." It was only a slight pressure at first, but slowly Sasuke started to squeeze back until he was holding hard enough to make them wince. A long, comfortable silence fell between them. What had needed to be said had been, and for a time the trio simply enjoyed each other's presence.

"We'll get them both," Sasuke said at last, his voice calm and strong again. "Itachi and Orochimaru. But . . ." He looked to his right, then left, smirking at Naruto and Hinata. "We'll do it the right way."

"Right!" his friends agreed in unison. Another long pause allowed Sasuke to collect himself, retrieving his hands to wipe his eyes. They were long past the point of being embarrassed around one another, but it wouldn't do to make them worry more.

"Thanks Naruto, Hinata. Sorry for letting it get to me."

"Oh whatever," Naruto grinned, rolling his eyes as he stood and stretched towards the ceiling. "How about we go get breakfast instead of talking about how dramatic you are?" Sasuke smirked and rose from the bed, hitting Naruto's shoulder in a light jest. He turned towards the door to lead the way out, and Hinata stood to follow. As Naruto's hand fell comfortably into her own, she smiled and squeezed gently. Just like he had promised, they had made it through together.

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"Yo. How'd you sleep together – I mean, how'd you sleep?" Shikamaru asked coolly, unable to keep the cheeky grin from his features. Naruto and Hinata both turned red and looked away from one another. They were seated at a long table in a makeshift cafeteria, which had likely been set up solely for the exam.

"I can't believe Kakashi-sensei told everybody about that," Naruto mumbled, poking at his omelette. "It was an accident, and besides why'd he come in our room so early anyway?" Hinata stayed silent, too embarrassed to even chance looking up. Kiba and Shikamaru shared a hearty laugh at their expense.

"Oh man, when we got here yesterday I think that was one of the first things we heard," Kiba said cheerily, alternating between shoving fish in his mouth and talking.

"Whatever. I'd like to see you try to stay conscious with the amount of chakra we had left, let alone find your way to the right bed." Naruto scowled and took a large, grumpy bite of egg and rice. Shikamaru chuckled and shook his head, though his expression sobered as he began speaking again.

"Yeah, you guys were pretty beat up. You still not going to tell us what happened?" he asked, glancing at the three of them from across the table. Sasuke shrugged, and sipped at his miso soup; he might have been back to normal, but that didn't mean he was up for much more conversation that early in the morning. Hinata fidgeted with her jacket and shook her head, her blush slowly receding.

"Sorry Shikamaru, but Kakashi-sensei said that we can't," Naruto responded, and he truly sounded sincere.

"All we could figure out is that you guys were attacked by somebody who wasn't supposed to be in the exam," Tenten said as she took a seat next to Hinata, smiling at the other girl. "All of the jounin are being really tight-lipped about it."

"Even Gai-sensei won't tell me," Lee sulked, taking the seat by Sasuke. Naruto blinked at both of them in turn, raising a curious eyebrow. The rest of the rookies went silent.

"Isn't Neji going to be mad if you're hanging out with us?" Naruto asked.

"He's staying in our room for a while," Tenten shrugged, starting into her meal. "Something about meditating before the next exam starts in a few hours. I think he's still peeved that two rookie teams finished before we did." She, however, didn't seem troubled by it at all. Team Gai had purposefully taken their time, though, as Neji had been sure to inform them. It was probably true, but Naruto still allowed himself to feel a little smug about beating them to the tower.

"It is very impressive," Lee stated emphatically, sending rice scattering across the table as he flourished his chopsticks. "You all have shown us that your fires of youth are not to be underestimated!" Tenten rolled her eyes and shared a look with Hinata that sent them both into light giggles. Naruto, though, humored him.

"Yeah! A lot of teams from Konoha passed, actually. All of the rookies, you guys, Kabuto-san's team; aside from that, only that one Suna team got through." He got a lot of grins from that, and even Ino and Sakura stopped arguing long enough to nod and afford irritated smiles. Shikamaru looked troubled, however.

"I'm not sure that's entirely a good thing," he mused, staring down at his untouched food. Everyone but Tenten looked at him curiously; she merely nodded and continued eating with a grave expression. Shikamaru shrugged and continued, rubbing distractedly at the back of his neck. "I mean, don't you think it might look a little strange to the other villages if five of the six teams that passed are from the hosting village?" The rest of the genin had only just begun nodding in comprehension when a low voice started from the door at the far side of the room.

"That's seven teams, brat," Zaku spat as he ambled into the room, followed closely by Dosu and Kin. "And hell yeah it's suspicious."

"Not really," Kin shrugged, smirking at the familiar faces. "It's easier to get genin in to an event hosted in your own village. Not to mention, your broken arm says that they earned their place here." Zaku cast her a venomous glare; she ignored it and returned a devious smile instead.

"Quiet down." Dosu growled, sidling ahead of his companions and nodding towards the rookies. The three Sound-nin looked a little worse for the wear, but overall healthy. Zaku's right arm hung in a sling crafted from bandages, and he looked as contemptuous as ever as his team passed by. Naruto and Sasuke watched them with narrowed eyes while Hinata looked worriedly between her teammates and the newcomers. Ino and Chouji blanched and tried to pretend they didn't notice, and Shikamaru managed to continue looking bored.

"As I was saying," he sighed, finally starting into his cooling breakfast. "While it's definitely something to be proud of, I would be careful how we act around other people. It's troublesome, but you never know who might decide to call foul on the Hokage for rigging the exam."

"The old man wouldn't do something like that," Naruto said sharply, annoyed that anybody could even think that about the Sandaime. Shikamaru shrugged noncommittally, but it was Shino who responded. It took everybody a moment to locate the boy, who had been sitting right next to Kiba the entire time.

"That is irrelevant. The potential for political strife is great, and we would do well not to exacerbate the situation." He lapsed into silence again and returned to sipping at his tea. Naruto understood, then.

_That's probably why they didn't cancel the exam._

_**Aye. The alliances between villages are frail at best; you mortals will find any reason to slaughter one another.**_

_I don't want to hear that from you. _Even annoyed, Naruto could tell that the fox's subsequent silence was different than normal. It was a simmering one, as expected, but it also had an undertone of anger that was not directed at him. Naruto shivered; it was disturbing sometimes that he could tell how the Kyuubi felt by just thinking about it.

Conversation moved back towards more amiable topics after that. Kiba explained in great detail how he had single-handedly taken out a group of genin from Suna, though he was forced amend his statements when Sakura hit him over the head hard enough to leave a visible bump. Lee went on an unabashed tangent about he had saved Sakura from a giant centipede, proceeding directly after to ask the pink-haired kunoichi on a date. He was refused flatly, though there was a tint of red in Sakura's cheeks as she informed him that he was far too 'unique' for her tastes. Ino bragged incessantly about how she had 'saved Sasuke-kun' from the Sound-nin, and that was a note that Sasuke couldn't help but respond to.

"I wasn't there to be saved," he stated nonchalantly, reclining in his chair with an arm hanging lazily over the back. "I'm sure Naruto appreciates you distracting them for him, though. By the way, Sakura, would you like to grab lunch or something after the next exam is over?" Sasuke had offered the question as mildly as possible. Naruto struggled to keep his face straight, and Hinata busied herself examining a spot on the far wall. Ino's look of stunned disbelief was exaggerated further by her mouth hanging open. Sakura only blinked at Sasuke for a few seconds before flushing and nodding quickly.

"Of course, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura bubbled, being very careful not to look towards Ino. If anything she had a decent head on her shoulders, and she had caught on to what Sasuke was doing immediately. It was a little disappointing that he wasn't asking her on a genuine date, but teaching Ino a lesson while getting to spend time with Sasuke wouldn't hurt. It wouldn't hurt at all. Sasuke nodded and stood, acting as if nothing had happened while Ino began to rail at Sakura.

Naruto and Hinata stood after Sasuke, discarding their disposable plates before heading for the exit. "That was cruel, Sasuke-kun," Hinata said in a disapproving tone. "You told Ino you'd go on a date after the exam."

"No, I said I'd consider it. So I thought about it, and decided she's obnoxious and needs to be taken down a peg or two."

"By going on a date with Sakura?" Naruto asked, raising a curious eyebrow. "I thought you always thought she was just as annoying as Ino."

"I'm starting to think she's not quite as irritating. It's close, but at least she's smart. Besides, it's not going to be a real date anyway," he said with a dry smirk. "We'll just go to Ichiraku or something, chat a little, and be done with it. I just hope she doesn't go bragging about it to Ino, or it'll only prove she's as immature."

"Still, I don't think that's the right way to go about it." Sasuke rolled his eyes at Hinata as they walked; she always avoided contention and tried to be nice to everybody. She seemed distracted, though, so he didn't push the topic further.

"Something wrong, Hinata-chan? You're gripping my hand a little tight." Naruto seemed legitimately concerned, and even more so when Hinata jumped at the question and blushed.

"N-No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something." She relaxed her hold on his hand as they reached the door, shaking her head and sighing mentally at herself. _I can wait._

"Naruto, do you have a minute?" Shikamaru asked from behind them. Naruto turned, noticed that he was sporting a severe expression, and nodded.

"I'll meet you in the room," he said, turning briefly back to Hinata and Sasuke. They hesitated for only a moment before returning his nod and exiting the dining hall. "What's up, Shikamaru?" He returned his focus to the other boy, wondering what it was that could only be said to him.

"Let's go someplace else," Shikamaru suggested in a way that could only mean this would be a serious conversation. "It'd be troublesome if somebody overheard." That got both of Naruto's eyebrows up, but he nodded and led the way from the room.

They walked in silence for a few minutes until they reached an empty room. Shikamaru closed the door behind them, then folded his arms and leaned against it. Naruto wasn't sure what he was up to, but the secrecy was making him uneasy.

"What's up?" Naruto asked again. Shikamaru watched him for a long moment before taking on a careful tone.

"Ino told me what happened after I was knocked unconscious. Her attention span is pretty low, but I got enough out of her to have a lot of questions." He took a deep breath before continuing, noting that Naruto was already getting a little defensive. "Look, it's not my business what that strange orange chakra was around you, or the purple chakra around Sasuke. But I have a feeling it's connected to what all of the instructors are so nervous about. If it's something dangerous, we have a right to know about it."

Naruto relaxed a little, rubbing absently at the back of his neck. "Er, my chakra doesn't have anything to do with it, I promise. And . . . Well, all I can say is that Sasuke's did, but it got taken care of already."

"Can't you tell me something?" Shikamaru sighed, sounding annoyed. "I get that you might get in trouble, but don't you think it's irresponsible to keep this information from everybody? What if this person who attacked you comes back and attacks another team during the next exam? Maybe if we knew a little about it we could stand a better chance."

"I . . ." Naruto hesitated, staring down at his hands for a few seconds. "Look, if I tell you what happened, you can't tell anybody else alright? At least if you know you'll be able to help make a plan if the guy does show up again." Shikamaru nodding begrudgingly, and Naruto took another deep breath. "Do you know who Orochimaru is?" The other boy's eyes widened, and he nodded again. He listened intently as Naruto detailed what had happened on the first day of the exam and their encounter with Orochimaru. By the time he had finished Shikamaru was pacing back and forth wearing a troubled expression.

"So one of the legendary Sannin attacked you three, gave Sasuke that curse, and then let you live?" Naruto shrugged, and Shikamaru scowled. "The fact that you managed to land a hit on him at all is impressive, but I don't get why he would let you go. Unless . . ." He drummed his fingers against his opposite wrist. "Unless he wants to observe the effects of his curse during the rest of the exam. And he picked Sasuke among the three of you; there has to be a reason for that."

"We just figured it was because he's an Uchiha. I mean, since the massacre there are only two alive that we know of. Sasuke said that the curse was trying to change him."

"That makes sense; Orochimaru said that Sasuke will come to find him, right? Maybe he wants Sasuke's bloodline for something." It was starting to hurt his head thinking about it. A missing-nin like Orochimaru could kill every one of them without breaking a sweat. So why wasn't he? Shikamaru shook his head again. "Anyway, thanks for telling me. I'll think it over more."

"No problem. Was there anything else?"

"How did you three get to be so strong?" Naruto blinked at that question and tilted his head to the side, genuinely confused.

"What do you mean? We just trained a lot." Shikamaru shook his head for the umpteenth time.

"Naruto, you all went against Orochimaru and held your own – to an extent, anyway. Then you went against those three genin from the Sound who were a lot stronger than they should have been, but you still stood a chance even when you must have been low on chakra. Hinata can use medical ninjutsu precise enough to heal my inner ear and Chouji's muscle tissue. Not to mention she had enough chakra to keep her Byakugan consistently active for over a full day, _and_ she healed _four_ people in such a short time. Sasuke's ninjutsu and speed with hand seals are incredible, too, from what you described. And what's more, you guys are inventing your own techniques." He took another deep breath after that, eyeing Naruto in a calculating manner. "All of the teams train, but you three are on your own level. Why?"

"I mean . . . We train a lot?" Naruto looked a little lost, but did his best to explain. "Outside of academy classes we've trained together pretty much every day since we were seven. While most of the other kids went to play, we trained instead. Sasuke helped me and Hinata with ninjutsu, I helped them with taijutsu, and Hinata helped with our chakra control and recognizing genjutsu. Even on days that we had classes we'd spend an extra four or five hours training." Shikamaru blinked at that. He had known that the trio put a lot of time into training, but he hadn't been aware just how much.

"What's a normal day of training for you like?" he asked slowly.

"We like to split it up. Nowadays we'll start before dawn and work on our own for an hour or so. Hinata usually meditates and stretches with her Byakugan active to increase the amount of time she can keep it active; she said something about being able to see farther, too. Sasuke works with Haku on honing his skill using the Sharingan, so they do all sorts of things. I usually do a few hundred pushups and sit-ups, then either practice with ninja tools or spar with a few Shadow Clones." Shikamaru was already taken aback by that information, but as Naruto kept going his mouth slowly dropped open further. "Then we'll usually get together and spar for a few hours; I'll keep making clones for whoever is sitting out. They always say I'm better at the goken stances and stuff, but really I can just outlast them in fights.

"After that we break for lunch before working on ninjutsu. Most of the time we just pick a new technique we think would be useful and keep practicing it every day until we have it down. Sasuke helps us with that; he's really good at explaining how to mold chakra the right way, and gives us tips on how to make seals faster.

"After we finish that we go for another hour or so of sparring, then Hinata coaches us on chakra control. We'll never be as good as she is, but we've gotten a lot better at it. She's also been practicing genjutsu with Kakashi-sensei." He laughed then, catching Shikamaru off guard. "I'm terrible at it, but at least I've learned the basics enough to know it when I see it. I think. Anyway, by then it's near dinner time and we grab something to eat. If Kakashi is training with us that day we have a sparring match with us three against him; we've never even gotten close to winning, but it helps us practice together.

"Usually that's it," Naruto concluded, thinking hard. "If we feel like it we'll do some more sparring before it gets dark, but usually we'll just finish up with weapons training. Kakashi-sensei says we should all find weapons that suit us." He rubbed at the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly. "That's pretty much what we do on the days we don't do missions, and we've been doing something like that for five years."

Shikamaru stared at him. It wasn't as if his team hadn't been training, but that degree of diligence was unheard of. Naruto lowered his hand and looked concernedly at the other boy, wondering if he had said something unsettling. "What? Isn't that what everybody does?"

"Naruto," Shikamaru started weakly, slumping heavily against the door. "We train a lot too, but it's nothing like that; not even close. And we take days off, like most teams. We also didn't spend our academy days doing serious training. How . . . Why in the world would you go through all of that trouble?"

"Because we want to be strong enough to protect one another," Naruto said simply. "Iruka-sensei always tells us that our job as the shinobi of Konoha is to protect the village, and to take that task seriously. We train hard so that we can do that. Besides, it's always been fun spending time with Sasuke and Hinata; just because we're training doesn't mean we're not enjoying ourselves."

"To protect the village," Shikamaru mused, soaking in his friend's words. Naruto had said it all so matter-of-factly, but it wasn't something most of them thought about very often. Real missions put comrades in harm's way. Nobody wanted to think about their friends dying, but Team Seven did on a regular basis. And it made them strong, and want to become even stronger. "I guess I see what you mean." _I'm going to have to talk to Asuma-sensei about our training. Ino and Chouji won't like it, and it'll be troublesome, but Naruto's right. It's our duty, and we should act like it._

"I need to get back to the room to go over a few things before the next exam," Naruto put in apologetically, stepping towards the door. Shikamaru shook himself, then nodded. As Naruto reached for the door, however, Shikamaru spoke very quietly.

"One last thing, Naruto." The blond froze, his fingertips brushing the doorknob. The air thickened with tension in the moments before Shikamaru went on. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and conversational despite the air of unease. "What's with your orange chakra? It's not yours."

Silence. For a full minute neither of them spoke, and it felt like an eternity to Naruto as his thoughts raced. _Does he know?_

_**He's probably figuring it out,**_ the fox reasoned, seeming to examine Shikamaru through Naruto's eyes. _**The kid has a sharp mind.**_

"What do you mean?" Naruto ventured carefully, turning back away from the door.

"I've been noticing some weird chakra surges some days, when I get close to some of the training grounds. It's not normal chakra, and I felt it again in the forest three days ago when you took out those three Rain-nin. It's been coming from you." Naruto said nothing, instead just staring ahead. "Other people have been noticing, although we're told it's just jutsu testing or something. I didn't buy that in the first place, though now I know it's a lie.

"I guess it's none of my business, but if you have access to that chakra it makes me wonder why you didn't use it on those Sound-nin. And you're keeping it a secret from us. You probably have your reasons, but it would have made the other day a lot less troublesome if you'd used it to fight instead of to block one of Sasuke's punches." He waited then, watching Naruto.

"I couldn't," he said finally, forcing a smirk onto his features. "It's kinda complicated I guess, but you don't need to worry about it." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, as if waiting for further explanation. When none came, he shrugged and raised his hands in surrender.

"Alright, suit yourself. Thanks for talking." Naruto nodded and left the room swiftly, careful not to break into a run to get back up to the top floor.

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Twenty-one genin stood at the center of a large stone room with raised catwalks on either side, facing a stage that was lined with jounin instructors and the Hokage at their center. The exam was a mere minute from ending, and everybody was tense in the heavy silence. The Sandaime kept his steady, calm gaze on them, the slightest hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. That last minute crawled by, but at least the doors behind them closed and Anko stepped forward from the ranks.

"Congratulations on passing the Second Exam," she said evenly, though there was a touch of amusement in her voice. "Hokage-sama will now give an explanation of the Third Exam." All eyes moved to watch him.

"Before I explain the details, there's something you all need to know first," he began, his normally reserved voice somehow carrying throughout the room with ease. "That is, the true purpose of the Chuunin Exams." Nobody wanted to interrupt during his speech, but he could tell that their collective curiosity had been piqued. "You have been told that the purpose of these exams is to encourage cooperation and good relation between the villages. You have also been told that it is to determine which genin have earned the right to become a chuunin. Only the lattermost reason is true.

"The Chuunin Exams originated as a place for conflicting nations to send their elite to battle, reducing the costliness of wars. Instead of being decided by long, bloody battles, wars were decided by a select few shinobi from each village. In these days of tentative peace, countries instead send their best genin to carry the dignity of their land; to fight, kill, and die for that dignity. It is a measure of each country's power, simply put.

"Powerful people from across the land will be attending the Third Exam to assess the strength of each nation. These are clients for all nations, and as you would imagine the countries with a better showing at the exams will gain a larger clientele." If realization hadn't dawned on the genin already, now it came flooding in. Hiruzen smiled sadly before continuing, regretting that he had to be the one to bring the largely innocent youths into the real world. Before he could speak again, Kiba finally broke the silence among the genin.

"Why do we have to fight each with our lives on the line? People died in that forest!" he said loudly, and though not angry his words were pointed enough so that everybody could tell he was put off.

"A country's strength is judged by the strength of its village. A village's strength comes from its ninja, and a ninja's real strength can only be seen in a life-or-death battle. Those of you that were pushed to your limits in the Forest of Death can attest to that." A brief, uncomfortable silence followed that statement; it had hit home for many of them. "This exam is an introduction to the real world, and that is a world governed by the military power of the hidden villages. We say that it promotes good relations because, in a way, fighting to maintain balance between villages _is_ good relation in the world of ninja."

"I don't care." Everyone looked toward Gaara when he spoke, his chilling voice taking most of them by surprise. "Just tell us the details of the next 'life-or-death' exam." The Hokage frowned slightly, and then nodded.

"Hayate." At the Sandaime's call, a man appeared in front of the dais, first kneeling in respect towards the Hokage before turning to regard the assembled teams.

"My name is Gekkou Hayate, and I will be the proctor for the preliminary matches."

"Preliminary matches?" Sakura asked, her brow furrowing.

"Yes. The Chuunin Exam's regulations dictate that the number of examinees must be cut down to accommodate the requirements of the Third Exam. As the Sandaime explained, there will be many people visiting from far away, and we will be limited on time. As such, we cannot continue with the current number of examinees. For the sake of saving time, please raise your hand if you do not feel up to continuing at this time. From here on out we will have one-on-one matches, so your team will not be affected by your actions." Every sentence or two the jounin coughed a few times, sometimes violently. There was an immediate rise in murmurs as he finished speaking, followed immediately by silence as a single hand raised into the air.

"Ano, I'd like to drop out," Kabuto started with an embarrassed grin. "I haven't recovered enough to continue."

"Konoha's Yakushi Kabuto-kun. You are dismissed." Hayate said after a short bout of dry coughs. After Kabuto turned and exited the room, he continued as if uninterrupted. "Are there any others?" Nobody else moved; the room was largely filled with defiant eyes. "Then the Preliminary Exam will begin immediately. They will be, as stated, one-on-one matches. There are no rules. You will fight until one of you dies, is knocked unconscious, or gives up. However, I will stop a match that I deem as over in order to prevent unnecessary deaths."

As Hayate finished his explanation, a large stone panel above the stage slid aside, revealing an electronic board. He turned towards it and nodded, coughing a few more times before turning back. "This board will display two randomly generated names, and as you would expect they will be the ones fighting. If there are no objections, we will now announce the first match." Nobody said a word, and with a signal to Anko the board lit up.

The tension in the room rose to a peak as nearly every genin stopped breathing. Golden letters flashed across the screen as it jumbled through names. With a loud beep the sequence stopped, displaying two names in giant letters.

"The first match will be Akadou Yoroi verses Uchiha Sasuke. Everybody except for the fighters will move to one of the platforms above to spectate."

"Don't win too fast," Naruto grinned as he passed Sasuke. "At least make it entertaining."

"Good luck, Sasuke-kun," Hinata offered sedately, joining hands with Naruto as they made their way to the stairs. Sasuke gave them both a wave and a smirk before approaching Hayate. Neither Yoroi nor his remaining teammate said a word. He simply stepped forward to the proctor before turning to face Sasuke.

"Sasuke's lucky to get to fight first," Naruto sighed, leaning against the railing above the arena. All of the genin and instructors from Konoha had taken to one of the raised catwalks; the teams from Suna and Oto occupied the one across the way. "Now he gets to relax and watch the rest of the fights after he wins."

"You are very confident in him," Lee said from nearby, his eyes remaining on Sasuke.

"Of course I am. Aren't you confident in your team?" Naruto grinned and winked at him, eliciting a similar expression from the other boy.

"I suppose so," he admitted, though he looked concernedly at the pair facing off. "I don't know anything about Yoroi, even though he is from our village."

"Sasuke-kun won't lose," Hinata stated with firm conviction. Naruto glanced at her and nodded, giving her hand a light squeeze before turning his attention to the ground floor. Only Hayate and the two fighters remained.

Hayate looked to his right at Sasuke, who nodded to indicate that he was ready. A look the opposite way showed that Yoroi was prepared as well. Hayate took a few steps back and raised both hands to chest height, sweeping them down a moment later. "Begin!"

_Sorry, Naruto; I don't know what this guy does. If I just have fun with it I could end up making a mistake._ Sasuke didn't move despite his reasoning, waiting to see what his opponent would do first. Yoroi didn't waste any time, forming a tiger seal immediately before throwing a fist of shuriken at Sasuke. _Distraction. _The Uchiha's eyes flashed crimson while the weapons were in flight, and a moment later both genin vanished.

Only the trained eyes in the room actually saw what happened. Sasuke effortlessly dodged the shuriken, catching two of them even though his eyes were focused on Yoroi the whole time. When the man all but disappeared in a blur of motion, Sasuke smirked and took a single step to the side, pivoting in the same motion to bring a round kick flying towards where he had just been standing. Yoroi's chakra-laced hand hit the ground previously occupied by his adversary, and an instant later Sasuke's foot collided with the side of his head. The stunned genin grunted and flew sideways with the force of the blow, smashing into the stone wall only a few meters away. The shuriken Sasuke had caught came following immediately after, pinning Yoroi's collar on either side so that he hung against the wall.

"Was that all?" Sasuke asked lazily amid the silence of the room. Even Hayate was looking back and forth between the two genin, like he was confused about what he had just seen. Naruto cheered from above, and if he had turned to look Sasuke would have seen Hinata beaming. Hayate started to raise his hand to signal the end of the match when Yoroi coughed and stirred.

"I'm not done yet," he groaned, shrugging both shoulders to dislodge the shuriken. He landed heavily on his feet, swaying slightly and holding his head. "Mostly because . . ." Sasuke froze as a hand fell on his shoulder, and the genin in front of him melted into a pool of water. Yoroi's voice continued in a sinister tone directly behind him. "You're the one that's done."

A burning sensation roiled within Sasuke, not enough to be too painful but enough to make him balk. The moment he had sensed Yoroi behind him he had spun away, but not before the man had touched his shoulder. In that fraction of a second Sasuke felt his chakra drain away; it wasn't a significant amount, but enough to notice at least. When his spin brought him around to face Yoroi, the man's hand was glowing blue. The mask covering his face made it hard to tell the expression beneath, but his sneering voice was enough to determine that.

"The Uchiha clan was always so full of hubris," he mocked, crouching low. "Too blind to see your own–" Yoroi stopped abruptly, his whole body tensing as he choked on his own words. A moment later he fell limply to the ground, clearly unconscious. Sasuke stood just behind him, looking bored with both hands shoved in his pockets.

Most of the genin were confused, though none of the jounin seemed surprised – a few even looked impressed. From their point of view, Yoroi had started talking, and then Sasuke had casually walked up to his opponent. The older genin had continued gloating at empty space, appearing not to even notice as Sasuke stepped behind him and delivered a hard chop to the back of his neck that rendered him unconscious.

"The winner of the first match is Uchiha Sasuke," Hayate called after a brief coughing fit. He had given it a few seconds to make sure that Yoroi wouldn't get back up, but it was clear that Sasuke had outwitted him.

_Well, he made it less boring on his own._ Sasuke sauntered away and up the stairs as a pair of medics came in and carried Yoroi out on a stretcher. "Sorry it was so quick," he smirked, leaning against the railing next to Hinata. "I didn't like hearing him talk."

"Sasuke-kun," Hinata whispered, glancing around. "I thought you weren't going to use genjutsu until the final round." He shrugged and seemed unconcerned.

"It was a really minor technique," he reasoned, glancing past her to Naruto. "I bet you didn't even notice what was going on until halfway through."

"Whatever," Naruto grumbled, not willing to openly admit it. Sasuke smirked again very slightly. A few steps away Chouji was asking Asuma and Shikamaru why Yoroi had just let Sasuke win. At least he hadn't been the only one.

"We will now begin the next match. Please step forward when your name appears on the board," Hayate called to the room, turning to nod at Anko again. The screen lit up and began cycling through names before stopping on 'Zaku Abumi vs. Aburame Shino'.

Teams Seven and Ten both looked across the room, focusing on the group of Sound-nin. Zaku still had his arm in a sling from the battle several days earlier, but seemed just as cocky as ever. He vaulted the railing and landed lightly near Hayate, waiting impatiently as Shino made his way unhurriedly down the steps to meet him.

Their fight lasted only slightly longer than Sasuke's. After being blasted once with Zaku's Air Cutter, Shino hardly had to move again as his kikaichu finished the battle for him. When Zaku revealed that his right arm was well enough to use and subsequently tried to utilize his Air Cutter with both hands, his arms appeared to explode. Shino calmly explained to Hayate that his parasitic insects had plugged the holes in Zaku's hands, causing a chakra buildup that found violent outlets through his arms. Shino ascended the stairs a minute later after knocking an enraged Zaku to the ground; Hayate declared the Aburame the victor.

"Way to go, Shino!" Kiba said loudly, followed by a cheer from Sakura. "You showed him not to mess with Team Eight!"

"He merely underestimated his opponent and acted rashly. I expect you two to do better than he." Sakura's ecstatic expression faltered, and Kiba started glowering. They both knew Shino well enough to know that he wasn't trying to be cold; that's just how he was. That knowledge didn't always make his words easier to take, though.

"The third match will be Tsurugi Misumi verses Kankurou. Please step forward." Hayate seemed to want to hurry through the preliminary round; he wasn't wasting any time between fights. Kabuto's remaining teammate took his place near Hayate, facing the Suna-nin.

At least Hayate was getting what he wanted out of the first few matches. Misumi's body had stretched and contorted around Kankurou, choking the boy until his neck snapped. A few gasps from the Konoha side were quickly hushed as Kankurou's body turned out to be a puppet, reversing the hold and crushing Misumi's arms and ribcage in a single motion. Hayate quickly declared the Sand genin the winner to avoid further injury.

"That was boring," Kankurou sighed loudly enough for everybody to hear, wrapping his puppet back in its bandages and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Well now we know what he does," Sasuke stated curiously, eyeing Kankurou as he paced back up to join Gaara and Temari. "I've never seen a puppeteer before; the Marionette Technique is pretty interesting."

"When do you think he switched places with his puppet?" Naruto asked, scratching his head. "I didn't see him use a replacement jutsu."

"It must have been beforehand," Hinata reasoned. "So that nobody would be watching to take notice. Even his team looked a little surprised." Naruto nodded, grinning slightly.

"Tricky guy, but I guess he planned ahead."

"Next round: Haruno Sakura verses Yamanaka Ino. Step forward please." The air seemed to crackle with tension as the two kunoichi locked eyes, both wearing determined expressions.

"This is going to be a boring match," Neji sighed, leaning back against the wall as the girls moved down to take their places. "Two female ninjas fighting, great."

"Their being female has nothing to do with it; one of the Sannin is Tsunade, if you recall," Tenten said sharply, narrowing her eyes at Neji before turning back to Sakura and Ino's match. "Sex doesn't determine strength. Those two just have a history, and probably won't go all out." Lee glanced nervously at Tenten while Gai gave Neji a reproving look.

"Neji," their sensei began, raising a fist in front of him. His eyes were alight with the strange fanaticism he got whenever speaking on something he was passionate about. "Tenten is right; a shinobi's power is measured only by his or her determination! Right, Lee?!"

"Yes, sensei!" Lee piped in, glowing with pride at his teacher's wise words. Naruto raised an eyebrow at their antics, and Sasuke shook his head tiredly. Hinata, though, was smiling softly at Tenten.

Sakura and Ino started the fight soft as Tenten had predicted. After a bout of taijutsu, though, they both donned their forehead protectors – the proper way – and went at one another seriously. Sakura landed the first real blow after using clones to confuse Ino. After feigning a bout of frustration during which she cut off her ponytail, Ino tricked Sakura into standing on the fallen locks. The pink-haired kunoichi was stuck in place when her adversary channeled chakra into the hair, and subsequently hit Sakura with her Mind-Transfer jutsu.

"That's strange," Shikamaru said quietly, drawing Naruto's attention from the fight. "It should have ended there. Why hasn't Ino forced her to give up?" Sakura's hand was raised halfway, staring at Hayate with her mouth open. Just like with Kin, Ino had taken possession of the girl's mind. But something was clearly wrong. Her features were twisted in angry concentration; she couldn't seem to lift her hand.

"Sakura's pretty hard-headed," Sasuke joked. However, it appeared to be only a temporary road block for Ino.

"I give up," Ino said calmly, using Sakura's voice to convey the message.

"Ah. The winner of this match is Yamanaka Ino," Hayate hesitated, looking back and forth between them. _I guess that is a valid tactic._ A moment later Ino released the technique and stood up, allowing Sakura to crumple to the ground, unconscious. Ino skipped up to her teammates as Sakura was retrieved by Kurenai.

"Ah well," Shikamaru grinned. "I guess it wasn't that hard. Good job, Ino."

"Hell yeah! Now you two had better not lose!" She pumped her fist to emphasize her statement, and Shikamaru rolled his eyes, muttering something about how excitable women were.

"They have a lot of training to do," Neji said blandly, shaking his head. Tenten gave him a reproachful look, but couldn't argue. If that had been their best effort, it fell far short of most of the room. At least Ino had outsmarted her opponent and used her abilities tactfully. She turned towards the screen instead of responding, blinking a few times when she saw her name pop up above Temari's.

"Great, just my luck," she mumbled. Despite his outward attitude Neji winced and looked genuinely apologetic. Gai's expression was grave, but he wished his student the best of luck before she moved to the ground floor.

"What's up?" Naruto asked, looking from Temari, to Tenten, to Gai. "Why's she so worried?"

"It's just speculation," Neji said quietly, watching as the Suna kunoichi joined Tenten below. "But that girl from the Sand uses a giant battle fan. Tenten's specialty is using weaponry, primarily ranged ones. If that Temari girl uses wind attacks as part of her repertoire, Tenten doesn't stand much of a chance."

"Can't she just get into close quarters?" Sasuke asked, but it was Shikamaru who shook his head this time.

"If she's smart, Temari won't let her close the gap. All she needs to do is keep her distance and batter Tenten with augmented ninjutsu. I'm sure Tenten knows that, but there's not much she can do about it." Naruto frowned, but he understood. Hinata bit her lip and looked worriedly to Tenten as the match was about to start. They both liked Tenten; she was always nice and cheerful, and had helped them a lot with their training. She had even worked with them a few times since spending the four days training together, helping them practice more with weapons.

Unfortunately, the skirmish went as Neji and Shikamaru had predicted. Tenten went through half a dozen weapon scrolls without a single projectile landing. Kunai, kama, short swords, and a variety of other weapons lay scattered in a circle around Temari by the time she was through. The blonde girl had hardly moved, only using her fan to brush the weapons aside like flies.

"Didn't think that would work," Tenten sighed, landing from another of her attacks. "But let no tactic go untested." Temari's eyes narrowed as her adversary rushed forward. A scroll shot out in front of Tenten, and a pair of heavy spiked tonfas appeared in small puffs of smoke. She caught them without missing a step, rolling to the side as a rush of wind sped towards her. She clashed with Temari a second later, trying to use her speed and rapidly changing weaponry to her advantage. Tonfas clattered to the ground in favor of kamas, followed quickly by morning stars.

"Useless," Temari sighed, dodging back effortlessly amid the onslaught. Every blow not deflected by her fan's metal guard was avoided. When one of the maces caught on her fan and sent sparks flying in her face, she growled and sent a blast of wind at Tenten's torso. In the same instant the head of the mace detached and shattered, sending its spikes flying in every direction as Tenten careened backwards. Temari cursed as a few buried into her shoulder; one grazed her cheek and left a long bloody mark behind.

"You bitch!" she yelled, taking up her fan with both hands and opening it fully. Tenten rolled to her feet as Temari's jutsu was almost upon her, following a cry of "Ninpou: Whirlwind!" A torrent of air spiraled upward, catching Tenten inside and tearing at her with chakra-laced wind. Temari walked slowly, angrily forward, planting her folded fan on the ground and waiting. A few seconds later Tenten tumbled out of the gale, and Temari caught her cruelly on the end of her fan. Blood spattered the floor as Tenten gasped before going limp, her back bent painfully over the massive weapon.

"Winner: Temari," Hayate announced a moment later. "Allow a few minutes to clean the floor of weapons before announcing the next match."

"Tsk, trash kunoichi," Temari fumed, shoving her fan hard and sending Tenten through the air. She would have landed amid the weapons somewhere, which had likely been the Suna-nin's intention, but a green blur caught Tenten before she hit the ground, sliding back and easing her down instead.

"Nice catch," she stated dryly at Lee. He was still kneeling beside his fallen teammate, and it was the first time Naruto had ever seen him look legitimately angry.

"Why did you do that? Tenten fought her best against an opponent ill-suited for her abilities." Lee was on his feet now, his fists clenched and shaking.

"Shut up," Temari droned, turning to walk casually away. "Take your garbage and leave." Lee's eyes burned with hate, but before he could go after her Gai appeared behind him, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder.

"Lee, do not be tempted into violence," he said quietly, eyes on Temari. "However," Gai continued, offering a mirthless grin to the members of the Sand above. "Gentlemen of the Sand, I will warn you that he is strong. You had best be prepared." Kankurou blanched slightly, but Gaara looked intrigued. Temari continued walking as if she hadn't heard, rejoining her team as the medic-nin rushed in to take Tenten to the infirmary.

"That was . . . terrible," Hinata breathed, overt concern written all over her features. Naruto and Sasuke nodded, their gazes hard on the trio of Sand-nin across the way.

"They're an unpleasant bunch," Kakashi agreed quietly, studying Gaara. _I only hope that none of you has to fight the last one._ His eye flicked to Naruto for a second before moving to the electronic board. _Except for Naruto, perhaps, but it's too early for him to reveal the Kyuubi's chakra._

The weapons were cleared out in short order by a few chuunin, and Hayate's voice called out as soon as they had exited the room. "Please step forward as your name is displayed," he repeated in a dull tone, turning to regard the screen like the rest of the room. Seconds later 'Nara Shikamaru vs. Kin Tsuchi' appeared.

"Why's her name backwards?" Naruto pondered allowed, squinting at the letters. "Do you think that was an accident?"

"Beats me," Shikamaru shrugged, trundling off towards the stairs. "I just hope she's as overconfident as her friends, or this could be troublesome." _I hate fighting girls._ He stepped up in front of Kin amid a continuous stream of cheers from Ino, to which he sighed and waved a hand noncommittally.

Their match lasted no longer than the first few. As Shikamaru had hoped, Kin was too confident in her own abilities. It took less than a minute for him to snare her. Unseen to even the spectators he had stretched his shadow so thin that she had mistaken it for the shadow of the wires attached to her needles. In short order he simply leaned her straight back, striking her head against the wall and knocking her out cold.

"How troublesome," he grumbled, shuffling back up to the rest amid another round of exuberance.

"Winner: Nara Shikamaru." Hayate gave the same instructions to regard the screen, and the board lit up to scramble the names again. Naruto's eyebrows went up as his name showed on the board, followed below by 'Inuzuka Kiba'.

"Er. Good luck, Kiba," he laughed, rubbing at the back of his neck. Kiba scowled and stalked away down the stairs. Shino calmly wished him the same, and Sakura echoed him in a defeated tone. She had been gloomy since her fight with Ino had ended.

"Good luck, Naruto-kun," Hinata said with a small smile, squeezing his hand once before letting it go. He grinned and gave her a thumbs-up before starting after Kiba.

"Don't make it too boring," Sasuke smirked from behind him. Naruto flashed another grin back at him before trotting down the stairs. "So, Sakura," he continued casually, keeping his eyes on the arena. "Do you like barbeque or seafood better?" The downtrodden girl looked up and blinked at him a few times. Sakura simpered a moment later, and Hinata couldn't help but smile as well. Sasuke really was a nice person.

"I love seafood," Sakura responded quickly, flushing a little. Sasuke only nodded thoughtfully and continued watching Naruto's progress to the arena floor, but he was glad to note out of the corner of his eye that she had stopped sulking.

"I'm not gonna go easy on you, Naruto," Kiba growled quietly, followed by an affirmative bark from Akamaru.

"I wouldn't want you to," Naruto shrugged, dropping into a taijutsu stance. _Can't show off any abilities; have to make it as quick as possible._

_**And none of my chakra, like we agreed.**_

_Right._

_**Even if you have to lose.**_

_Wait, wha__–_

"Begin!" Hayate leapt back at the shout, and Kiba rushed forward to engage.

Kiba's taijutsu was decent; his stance and form were different than what Naruto was used to, but not difficult to keep up with. His speed, however, ranked up with Sasuke's and threatened to catch Hinata's at points. Naruto silently thanked his friends for all of the times they'd sparred together.

_I'm not going to be able to win purely with taijutsu,_ he lamented, more to himself than the Kyuubi. The fox, however, thought it prudent to respond.

_**That's a surprise,**_ he jeered. _**The one-trick ninja has to use ninjutsu too. Kiba has an extremely sensitive nose; why don't you just pass gas?**_

_What? No way! I'm not doing something so dumb. And shut up __–__ you know what I meant. I'm going to have to show more than I wanted to._ The Kyuubi only cackled at him, and the deep rumbling sound nearly distracted him enough to take a hit. Naruto jumped back, and mid-flight formed his hand seal. _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. _Five clones fanned out as he slid to a halt, moving to surround Kiba and charge in.

"Four Legs Technique," Kiba growled, dropping onto all fours as the clones reached him. "Passing Fang!" Five clouds of smoke temporarily hid the boy as the bunshin were destroyed, but a moment later he flew from the haze in a spiraling blur, arching towards Naruto at an incredible speed. Naruto barely managed to roll out of the way and Kiba rebounded off the ground, tearing deep gouges into the stone floor.

_Fast, strong; close-quarters specialist, _Naruto listed off, not expecting help but just taking mental note. He was still getting used to analyzing abilities in the midst of combat. _It's going to be hard to hit him with ninjutsu if he's moving around like that, too. Genjutsu would be my best option, but . . ._ He silently cursed his lack of ability in that area.

_**Think about a technique that won't require you to hit him directly. I know for a fact you can do one.**_ Naruto thought hard as he jumped to the side to avoid another attack. Before he had landed, however, another spiral detached from Kiba and rushed towards him, catching him off guard and slamming him into the wall. The air rushed from Naruto's lungs on impact, and he barely managed to stay standing.

_What . . ._ Kiba whirled to a halt at the center of the arena, still on all fours and offering a feral grin. A _second_ Kiba landed next to him, mimicking his low stance and snarling.

"Don't let up, Akamaru!" the first called, leaping forward and resuming his spin. The second Kiba growled and did the same, both of them coming towards Naruto at breakneck speeds.

_Great, his dog can transform into him._ Naruto backflipped, twisting in mid-air and landing on the wall. He channeled more chakra into the soles of his feet and pushed off hard, thrusting down with a kunai as he flew over the twin spirals. The weapon was torn from his hand by the sheer force of the movements, but both Kiba and Akamaru collided with the wall a moment later. Naruto landed in a balanced stance on the other side, eyes sharp as dust filled the air from the impact.

"Ow," Kiba winced as he and the transformed Akamaru stumbled from the ruined wall. "Can you not dodge next time?" he whined in obvious jest, shaking his head and crouching again. He said something quietly to Akamaru, who nodded and flanked wide around Naruto. "Sorry, Naruto; I don't want this match going too long. I know you'll win if I drag it out." Without another word he tossed something small and black into the air, winding up and throwing another to Akamaru directly after. He caught the first in his mouth on its way down, crunching down once before swallowing. And then things got hectic.

Naruto felt a surge of chakra from both Kiba and Akamaru, and then the blue energy began leaking rapidly into the air around them. _Soldier pills. Two can play at th – wait, Sasuke has them still. Damnit._

_**Idiot. You have more chakra than him even with that gimmick. Just release more of it.**_ As usual, the advice came as a scathing remark, but Naruto had long since learned to take it in stride.

_If I do that, I could seriously hurt Kiba._

_**Kid, give me a break. This exam is meant to pit you against your peers, and the fights are to the death. You could have been fighting your girlfriend, you know.**_ The thought chilled a little more reason into Naruto, and he was suddenly grateful to be fighting Kiba. The last of his apprehension faded as the Kyuubi rolled its eyes at him. _**Just end it quick so you don't hurt him too bad, you pathetic oaf.**_

Naruto didn't have time for a retort. Kiba and Akamaru were rushing towards him faster than before, their afterimages blurring along behind. Before they returned to their 'Fang Passing Fang' technique, they both hurled a small indigo orb at Naruto's feet. The area erupted in thick purple smoke, and a moment later the barrage of attacks tore through it at Naruto.

_Damnit,_ he ground out in his mind, guarding his head as the unseen onslaught began to batter him. _A technique I don't have to aim that'll stop __–__ damn I am slow. _Naruto's hands lowered and raced through seals as a whirlwind clipped his head, knocking his hitai-ate loose; a trickle of blood started down the side of his head a moment later. _Doton: Rock Shell!_ The tile stones below erupted in a circle, flowing around him and forming a solid dome in a tortoiseshell pattern.

_**About time. Now hurry up and gather your chakra.**_

_You know, I appreciate your help and all, but would it kill you to be less of an asshole?_ The Kyuubi laughed as he dropped to the ground in the darkness, folding his legs and concentrating. It wasn't often that he employed the bulk of his chakra pool for his taijutsu, but the last time he had done it Sasuke had ended up seriously battered. _Wish I had enough chakra to do this against the Sound last time, _he grumbled. The inside of the shell began to glow even as it cracked from Kiba's continuous attacks.

Up in the stands, Hinata shivered, then glanced at Sasuke. "Is he . . . ?"

"Yeah, feels like it." Sasuke smirked, and Sakura raised a curious eyebrow before speaking up.

"What is it? It looks like Kiba's winning," she said, sounding perplexed.

"You'll see," Sasuke said placidly. "You'll feel it first, though." Sakura wasn't quite sure what he was talking about until she did feel it. A massive chakra presence at the center of the smokescreen was growing larger by the second, and a moment later Kiba and Akamaru retreated from the fog. They glanced warily at one another before turning their attention back to the smoke.

The haze had begun drifting apart on its own, forced away at the center by an invisible force. Naruto's small stone dome was now clearly visible to the room, and though it had sustained major damage it was still intact. A vibrant blue light was shining through the cracks.

All at once the rock shattered outward, the earthen shards flying in every direction. The only thing Kiba and his partner could do fast enough was guard their faces, a few pieces slicing past or into them. When they lowered their arms both sets of Kiba's eyes widened, staring at Naruto.

Brilliant blue chakra swirled and leapt around the blond like living fire, giving his hair an odd green tint. While he and his friends had noted that it wasn't nearly as strong of a boost as the Kyuubi's chakra, it was substantial, and also doubled as intimidation. It may not come with the same power, but it was definitely more of a spectacle. A few of the jounin shared the genin's collective awe, staring at the boy in disbelief.

_He might have as much chakra as me,_ Kakashi mused, his one eye shimmering in the blue light. _It wasn't nearly as strong last time did this. _He raised a hand to lift his hitai-ate from his Sharingan, focusing it on Naruto. Sasuke saw him and his smirk widened; he wouldn't be able to follow Naruto's movements either if not for his own Sharingan.

Naruto wasted no time in creating a single Shadow Clone, which copied every detail down to the roiling chakra. The energy died down some as he did so, but it still burned bright on both of them. He grinned and leaned forward, winking sideways at his bunshin.

"Bet I knock mine out before you get yours," he challenged. The clone grinned back and, turning its attention to his adversary, charged at the same instant Naruto started forward. Stone buckled beneath their feet in a thunderous crack, and tiles tore backwards as the two of them vanished. Almost in the same instant Kiba and Akamaru flew back and crashed into the far wall with enough force to create two sizable dents in the stone. Naruto and his clone were left standing where Kiba had been; his leg was drawing back from a straight side kick, and the bunshin was withdrawing its fist from a simple punch. _Sucks that I had to show that off, but at least I didn't go too far with it._ The chakra surrounding the two of them flickered out, and after an enthusiastic high-five the clone dispersed.

Hayate finished blinking dust out of his eyes and looked down the length of the room at where Kiba and Akamaru had hit. The latter was back in his small canine form, lying limp on the ground. Kiba was hunched forward and clearly unconscious, still stuck in the miniature crater from his impact. Blood was dripping steadily from his mouth and staining the floor beneath him. When he remained stationary for a few seconds longer, Hayate coughed and raised a hand.

"Winner: Uzumaki Naruto." Instead of leaving the floor, Naruto rushed forward to check on Kiba, lowering him slowly to the ground next to Akamaru. Thankfully the boy sputtered after a few seconds, coughing up a little more blood before inching one eye open.

"Damnit," he wheezed, straining to look to his side. "Is Akamaru alright?"

"He's fine, I think; probably just a few broken ribs like you. Sorry," Naruto said guiltily. "I wasn't trying to hurt either of you." Kiba managed a weak laugh that turned into a fit of coughs. He spoke again after he stopped, closing his eye again and taking in shallow, sharp breaths.

"Don't mention it," he winced. "I'd have done the same . . . If I could have." Naruto still felt bad when the medical team arrived to take Kiba away, but the words helped a little. As far as he could tell from his clone's memory its punch had landed just below the ribcage, so Akamaru shouldn't have suffered much damage outside of the impact with the wall.

"Nice one," Sasuke said evenly, turning to greet him as he came back up. "You were a little rough with Kiba, though; your clone didn't hit Akamaru nearly as hard."

"Yeah," Naruto sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck again. "I misjudged the distance. I meant to end up closer and push him with the kick instead, but I stopped short and he got the full impact instead." Every other genin and instructor was looking at him with either an expression of disbelief or one of clear acknowledgement.

"You're hurt," Hinata said after a moment, moving to him and placing a hand on the side of his head. Before she could even start channeling her chakra Naruto took her hand and lowered it gently. Her lips parted in surprise, and she was about to speak again when Naruto shook his head.

"You still have a match to go, Hinata-chan. Save your chakra, just in case. I'll use some gauze and bandages, and besides they're just small cuts and bruises." He smiled reassuringly, and after biting her lip for a few seconds she nodded and pulled a roll of medical tape from her belt pouch. She helped him to quickly bandage the worst of the cuts on his arms, face, and neck; the lighter ones were already starting to close on their own.

"The next match will be announced shortly after the repairs to the arena; please stay alert if you have yet to fight," Hayate called out. Two chuunin were out in front of him, using earth techniques to fix the ground that Naruto and Kiba had torn up before moving to the damaged walls.

"Naruto-kun," Lee ventured after Hinata finished with the last bandage. "I've never seen you use that technique before. Why didn't you use it when sparring with me?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, then shrugged.

"I'm sure all of you have abilities we didn't see," he replied. "I mean, Tenten didn't use an exploding mace on me any time we fought, right?" Neji scowled and rubbed at his cheek as if remembering an unfortunate incident with the same weapon. Lee nodded slowly and grinned.

"You're right. We have yet to see each other's true strength!" Naruto laughed at the older genin's enthusiasm, but it was close enough to what he had been trying to say. He stretched and lowered his hand reflexively to Hinata's, who gripped his own tightly as the screen above came to life.

"Hinata," Naruto started, so quietly that only she and Sasuke would hear. "If you're matched against Gaara or Neji . . ." She lowered her gaze and nodded; she knew what he was going to tell her. They were both out of her league, and she knew it. "Make sure you go all out and beat the crap out of them." Hinata looked up, startled at his words.

"But, Naruto-kun . . ." She was interrupted by the electronic board, which had finally landed on two names. Her whole body tensed, and her breath caught in her throat. Hinata's grip on Naruto's hand threatened to cut off his circulation, but she couldn't help it. She was terrified. Neji smirked and shook his head, walking silently past them to the stairs.

"Hyuuga Hinata verses Hyuuga Neji."

"Calm down, Hinata," Sasuke said in an undertone, watching Neji as he began to descend from the platform. "You can beat him."

"You're strong, Hinata-chan, a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. You've trained with me and Sasuke for years, and we both know you can do it." Sasuke nodded at Naruto's assertion, though he kept his eyes forward. She looked between the two of them, and after a long moment exhaled and shivered visibly. Her hold on Naruto's hand relaxed as her eyes closed.

_They're right. Maybe I wasn't a match for him before, but I can do it now. I can._ She kept that as her mantra as she broke her hand away from Naruto's, but before she could take a step away he stepped forward and hugged her tightly. The action caused her normal demeanor to rush back, and she turned red an instant later.

"Be safe," he whispered. Hearing the same words she had given him days earlier almost caused her to tear up. She returned the embrace fiercely, though it was brief. She was walking purposefully after Neji a moment later, her head held high and determination written on her features. Only the slightest traces of apprehension were visible about her eyes, but it was enough for Neji to notice the moment she took her place in front of him.

"Hinata-sama," Neji started before Hayate could begin the match. The jounin hesitated, then lowered his hand without calling for them to begin. "I'm surprised to be fighting you, but I suppose it's fate. The branch family was always made to do the head family's dirty work. It looks like I'm meant to take care of its outcast." Hinata kept her eyes on his, and though he could sense her nervous energy, she appeared to be collected and ready. He continued, pressing her harder. "You haven't changed at all from before. You're still as frail and weak as when Hiashi-sama threw you out. You're a disgrace to the Hyuuga name. You–"

"Neji-niisan," Hinata interrupted quietly, but with a firm tone. Neji stopped and blinked at her a few times, clearly taken aback. She lowered into her modified jyuken stance before taking a deep breath and speaking again, her voice calm. "I am no longer the same as I once was. People can change, and I will prove it to you here."

Neji's mouth was agape and he was staring at her in disbelief. He had hardly seen Hinata in the months following her expulsion, but even in the four days they had been forced to train together she had been withdrawn. When Gai had made them spar together she had fallen far short of him on every front; she hadn't hit a single one of his or anybody else's tenketsu either. Who was _she_ to speak that way to him?

"Instructor," he said, addressing Hayate with feigned calm. "Try to stop the match before she dies." Neji dropped into his stance a moment later, waiting. Hayate eyed him, looking a tad annoyed, then raised his hand again.

"Begin!"

From the outset they both knew what this match would be. Plain and simple, it was a contest between jyuken users, between Hyuuga households, and between Byakugan. Both of their white eyes were lined with the faux pupil created by their kekkei genkai, accented further by the numerous veins all around. Those eyes stared into one another as they clashed at the center of the room, and neither bothered with illusory or ninja techniques.

Hinata took Naruto's words to heart, and from the beginning she moved with every ounce of alacrity and precision that she possessed. Chakra flashed in every direction as she deflected Neji's attacks, her own turned only a hair's breadth off of their target through his defense. The dull mutterings around the arena ceased as all eyes focused on the frenzied dance in the middle of the room. It was like watching two bolts of lightning fight: beautiful and deadly.

At one point they clashed, perfectly mirroring one another as they came in to strike. Neji's fingertips struck Hinata's shoulder at the same instant hers did the same. A swath of chakra flooded over each of their shoulders, and for a long moment they stayed locked like that, breathing hard. Then Neji smirked, lifting his free arm and pulling back Hinata's sleeve. Several red, circular welts dotted her forearm, and he smiled mirthlessly when he saw.

"You're outmatched, Hinata-sama. My Byakugan can see your tenketsu." Despite his words, Hinata seemed unshaken, as if she had known that those points had been hit all along. Rather than respond verbally, she lifted her own free hand and tugged his short sleeve back to the shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw the same marks on all around his upper arm and shoulder. "When did you . . .?"

"There are more," Hinata said tersely, sliding away from him and sinking again into her stance. "You are not the only one who can see them, Neji-niisan. Do not underestimate me." Her words seemed to irk Neji more than the fact that he had just been shown up by the Hyuuga outcast. His eyes narrowed, and with a frustrated grunt he sped forward to reengage.

"They're evenly matched . . ." Gai said slowly, staring openly. "That girl is keeping up with Neji. Kakashi, when did she learn to see tenketsu? Neji sparred with her only two weeks ago."

"She's been able to since before I took them as students," Kakashi shrugged. "It's likely a result of training every day in the academy. She's made more progress in the last few months than either of these two as well." Naruto grinned fiercely, though kept his eyes fixed on the fight below; Sasuke gave an approving nod and did the same. Gai stared at them, shook his head, and looked worriedly back to Hinata and Neji. Lee seemed unable to speak, eyes wide as he focused on the fight.

The tone of the skirmish changed abruptly as Neji leapt back, his breathing labored and his expression strained. Hinata appeared just as winded, but she met his gaze and waited as calmly as she could manage.

_This shouldn't be happening. She isn't this strong; it has to be a trick._ His mind worked itself into knots trying to figure it out, but he simply couldn't. Nobody could change that much in such a short time; nobody could change that much period. _You were not born to be great. You were not meant to be a shinobi at all._ Cutting his mental tirade short, Neji leaned into a familiar stance, and Hinata stiffened.

"Hakke: Sixty-Four Palms!" Neji growled as he sped forward. This would take care of her; he was sure of it. His eyes went wide, however, when she eased back into an unknown stance.

"Shugohakke: Sixty-Four Palms!" Hinata cried. Neji might have had time to be surprised if he wasn't already driving the first two strikes towards her. They were both turned aside by his adversary in two smooth motions. The next four met a similar end, missing their marks by only a fraction of a centimeter. Neji grew increasingly frustrated as the next eight missed, and then every one of the subsequent sixteen. Only a single tenketsu out of the next thirty-two was struck, but it was enough to make Hinata falter. She turned the error into a clean backbend, allowing half a dozen strikes to fly above her until she regained her balance and deflected the rest.

Neji halted upon his technique's completion, frozen in shock with both arms still out. Hinata was much more worn out than he was, but she had managed to avoid all but one of the one hundred and twenty-six strikes. All but one.

"Figures the one she misses hits her near a vital organ," Sasuke muttered, gripping the railing tighter than he intended. Hinata staggered back slightly, managing to keep her feet. A trickle of blood was running down from the corner of her mouth. "Lung, probably; her breathing is too short to be caused by exhaustion alone." His Sharingan shimmered as he clenched his teeth. Naruto put a hand on his shoulder for a second before speaking clearly.

"Something like that won't stop Hinata." Naruto said it with such conviction that even Kakashi looked down at him. "She finally mastered that technique too, remember?"

"Hakke: Sixty-Four Palms!" Hinata gasped, blurring forward to begin her own sequence. Neji braced himself, letting out a curse as he was forced to twist to avoid the first two hits. "Four strikes!" His eyes went wide as two of the blows struck tenketsu, and he could feel the chakra flow cease. "Eight strikes!"

_This can't be,_ he panicked. _She isn't this strong._ A very small, but very real part of his mind reasoned that she was. He ground his teeth, and in that moment decided it was time to end the match. Midway through the next series – half of which hit home – he made his move.

"Hakkeshou: Revolving Heaven!" The air crackled around Neji as he spun, and in the space between one of Hinata's strikes and the next she was thrown backwards in a violent whirlwind of chakra. A veritable dome of pure chakra surrounded Neji, and his rapid spinning created an arching slice in the stone floor. When he slid to a halt a few seconds later, he was standing in the middle of a small crater created entirely by his own explosive chakra. Hinata lay still on the floor a few meters away.

"That," Neji breathed, still panting from the exertion, "Is the difference in skill between us, Hinata-sama."

"Hinata . . ." Naruto whispered, stunned gaze fixed on his fallen friend. Sasuke's eyes were hard on Neji, and Kakashi sighed behind them.

"Neji is a genius of the Hyuuga clan," Lee said gravely, closing his eyes for a moment. "Hinata-san is strong, but he is . . . stronger?" He opened his eyes, then blinked several times to make sure he was comprehending the scene correctly. Hinata was slowly standing, and though her arms were shaking as she did so she pushed herself from the ground determinedly.

"I . . . I hit enough of your tenketsu," Hinata coughed, more blood trickling to her chin. "That won't be enough to finish me, Neji-niisan." Despite her apparently confident statement, she was entirely unsure of herself. Hinata had only heard of that technique, but it was just as formidable as it had been touted to be. It was a defense that nothing could get through. Unless . . . _The blind spot._ Though she had mostly matched her cousin's speed, his experience granted him a larger chakra pool and increased arsenal of abilities. She was already feeling drained, having expended plenty of chakra on her jyuken strikes with the two taxing techniques on top. Her only chance was exploiting their doujutsu's one weak point. It was time to break from tradition.

Hinata's hands flashed into seals before she slammed her palm into the ground, causing the stones to buckle directly underneath. "Doton: Earth Rupture!" Neji flipped back as the ground was devoured, narrowly avoiding the ability. Midflight, however, he was hit by a burst of wind from another jutsu that sent him skidding off course. By the time he saw the kunai, it was nearly too late.

Neji tumbled to across the ground, leaving a trail of red behind him. Hinata was no longer where she had been. She landed heavily and dropped to one knee, gasping in breath and clutching her side. Those who might have followed her movements would have seen her releasing the Gale Palm technique, then breaking it off early to disappear in a blur of speed. She threw the kunai even before she had stopped moving so that Neji wouldn't have been able to see it coming, and that had been her goal.

"You . . ." he snarled, shaking in pain and anger alike as he forced himself from the ground. Hinata froze as he did so, eyes going wide. The knife had missed its mark and dug into his upper back below the shoulder. "If I hadn't shifted my weight at the last possible instant . . . I could have died." Hinata clenched her jaw and shook her head weakly.

"Only unconscious," Hinata breathed, the icy grip of fear threatening to take her. She had aimed her kunai to hit next to the spinal column, and it had been that slightest degree of difference that had allowed Neji to dodge. He spat out a cold laugh at that, swaying slowly to his feet.

"So you missed on purpose so that you wouldn't risk killing me. You really are . . ." He winced, clutching at his shoulder. "You're weak." For a few seconds those words raked at Hinata, but only for that short time before she forced them away.

"You're wrong, Neji-niisan. I am not the same as I was before," she repeated with as much fervor as she could manage. It came out frail, but the tone held. Neji ground his teeth once again and took a step forward. Hinata coughed and blood spattered across the ground, but to the entire room's awe she found her way painfully to her feet once more. That alone seemed to enrage Neji further, and he took the last few steps at a run.

The ensuing combat happened fast, though not as rapidly as the first encounter. Both genin were exhausted, though only one was forced to fight with a punctured lung. But Hinata held her ground and put everything she had into those final seconds. Neji saw an opening at the same instant that she did, and they both went for it. Hinata forced every ounce of chakra she had left into that last attack. Two brilliant bursts of chakra flared out behind each of them, and then everything went quiet.

Neji's palm was pressed against Hinata's heart, and her hand was trembling near his own. He wore a triumphant smirk for the briefest moment before he tensed and lurched backwards, falling to one knee. Blood spilled from his mouth as he coughed, and his hands began to shake. Hinata, though, was falling. She hit the ground a breath later, whimpered once, and became very still. Her form's only motion came from extremely shallow breathing that seemed to be getting weaker by the second.

An instant later Neji's killer intent spiked, and Hayate took a step back at the sudden intensity. The two genin had fought their way across the room, and he wouldn't be able to react fast enough if the boy did something rash. "Hyuuga Hinata appears unable to continue. Hyuuga Neji is the winner. The fight is over," he called sharply, but Neji wasn't listening.

Neji reached back and tore the kunai loose from his shoulder with a grunt, staggering forward. It wasn't difficult to determine his objective. The guard rail where Naruto and Sasuke had been standing crunched as it bent inward, and before anybody could blink Neji was being held in place by Kakashi, Gai, Lee, and Sasuke. Nobody registered the orange comet that had arrived first, but whatever the light had been it was gone now. Naruto was at Hinata's side, cradling her head in one hand and cupping her cheek with the other.

"Hinata-chan," he said gently, fighting down his fury and flooding dread. "Hinata-chan, can you hear me?" A long, tense moment passed before she moaned weakly. Her eyelashes fluttered until her eyes were half-lidded, unfocused as they looked up at Naruto.

"Naruto . . . kun?" He smiled down at her and nodded, a few unbidden tears falling on her face. Hinata blinked slowly, bleary and confused. "Why're you so . . . sad? I promise I . . . I did my best . . ." She closed her eyes again, consciousness once again slipping away.

"You did great," Naruto said softly, wiping at his eyes. "You were amazing, Hinata-chan." He held her like that until the medics arrived a few seconds later, explaining quickly to them what had happened. It was likely they were fully aware, but it made Naruto feel a little better. As they prepared to take her to the infirmary he turned to Kakashi, who was just stepping back from Neji. The boy was on the ground now, breathing hard and wincing at every movement. "Kakashi-sensei, you can tell me about the rest of the matches later. I'm going with Hinata."

"Naruto, you can't–" he started, but Sasuke cut him off.

"I'm going too. I dare you to tell us we can't go with her." Sasuke's voice was so low and vicious that Kakashi almost took a step back on instinct. Lee nodded, and Gai placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"Let them go, Kakashi. Their fires of youth burn brightest together." He said it in a way so matter of fact that, despite its odd presentation nobody questioned what he meant. The blond smiled slightly at the eccentric jounin before running after the stretcher, keeping pace all the way out the door with Sasuke at his side. "Those three are impressive," Gai said as they departed, eyes on the door. Neji was retrieved a few seconds later by a separate medical team, though neither he nor Lee offered to accompany them.

"They surprise me more every day," Kakashi sighed, running his hand through his silvery hair. "They're the epitome of what a good team should be, and I'm lucky to have them."

"And they're lucky to have you," Gai pointed out with a broad grin, slapping his old friend on the back. The friendly gesture made Kakashi cough and stagger forward a step, eliciting a bark of laughter from the other man.

As Kakashi led the way back to the balcony, he glanced back to the door that his team had disappeared behind as he. A small smile creased the corners of his eyes, and he tugged his forehead protector down with an accompanying shake of his head. _Well done, Team Seven. Incredibly, undeniably well done._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

And here I promised myself that I wouldn't write a chapter longer than 'Precious People'. So much for that!

First and foremost, hello again and thank you for taking the time to read through this monolith of a chapter. I know, I know; 'Wes, the same preliminary matchups?!' Well yes, for a lot of reasons. But primarily I thought that, with the trio's growth, it would be a great chance to show how different they are now as compared to canon at the same point. Hinata was my favorite to write in that regard, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Three notes before you bombard me with the angries: Tenten's fight changed a bit from canon because, to put it bluntly, I don't like how Tenten's character was developed in canon at all. That is to say, she had none. In this AU I will build her character more, beginning with the fact that she's intelligent enough to change tactics when one strategy is failing. Secondly, Ino won her fight because Naruto didn't cheer Sakura on, plain and simple. Sakura states pretty explicitly that it was because of him that she broke out of the technique. Same thing as the 20 teams vs. 26 teams thing in chapter 10. Lastly, Naruto's comment about Kin's name is purely for fun. I noticed that her name is reverse the normal scheme (either that or they call her by her last name, for whatever reason), and so I had him point it out for giggles.

Thanks a whole lot to Rhi for reading and editing through this chapter (twice; we beta thoroughly!). She effectively had to go through 31k+ words just for this chapter. She's the best.

Thank you all for the follows, favorites, and especially the reviews. As I always say, the more I see them the more I want to write. Nice reviews give me warm fuzzies, but don't be afraid to offer constructive criticism either.

See you next time!

-Wes


	14. Requited

**Chapter 14 – Requited**

It was quiet when Hinata finally came back to consciousness. The scent of wildflowers drifted to her from nearby, and no harsh lights invaded past her closed eyelids. She was warm and comfortable despite feeling short of breath. Her ribcage felt a little constricted, though not painfully so. There was an inexplicable pressure by her right leg, and another on her hand. It felt nice to just lie there in the dimness, but eventually curiosity got the better of her.

Pale eyes opened slowly; they felt heavier than usual, the reason for which eluded Hinata no matter how hard she concentrated on it. Her head felt fuzzy. A bit of panic took hold of her when she found only darkness, and on instinct she tried to sit up. Before she could even lift her head a searing agony stabbed through her chest. She took in a sharp breath and eased up immediately; it took a few seconds for the stabbing pain to dwindle to a dull throb.

"Try to lie still." Hinata would have jumped out of her skin if she could have moved at all. Sasuke's voice sounded strange and far away, but it had startled her nonetheless. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a weak, dry croak. "Hang on; I'll get you some water."

Shapes were finally starting to come into focus. Hinata's eyes traveled slowly around the small room; she could tell now that she was in a hospital. She was lying in a bed with a large window on her right and a medical curtain on her left. It was pulled back so that she could see the door, and there was a narrow table along the wall opposite her bed. Flowers covered every available space on the table and threatened to spill onto the floor. The room was dark, lit only by the soft glow from a crescent moon.

Sasuke slid off of the windowsill, moving carefully around her bed to a stand on the other side. He retrieved a bottle that had apparently been set aside for her, leaning over to put its straw to her lips. Hinata drank slowly, grateful for the cool water that seemed to wash away a bit of the murkiness lingering in her mind. There was still that odd pressure against her right leg and the comfortable weight atop her hand. Her head had been propped up at some point, but she was still unable to see down far enough to check what it was. After a moment she nodded very slightly, and Sasuke withdrew the drink.

"Thank you," she managed, though it came out as barely more than a whisper. Sasuke nodded and set the bottle down, then sank into a chair next to her.

"Don't mention it." He didn't say anything for a time after that, allowing Hinata to gather her thoughts. She remembered everything in vivid detail: trading blows, missing the blind spot, feeling Neji's chakra course through her chest, and then falling. A vague recollection of Naruto's features played about in her head, but it was hard to place.

"How long . . ." she ventured, licking futilely at her cracked lips.

"It's been nearly two days," Sasuke responded evenly; she saw him out of the corner of her eye giving her a wry smirk. "I'm sure your hand's numb by now; Naruto hasn't left since you got here. He was trying to stay awake until you woke up, but he finally fell asleep about an hour ago."

"Naruto . . . kun?" Hinata asked blearily; she had thought that the room was empty outside the two of them. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and his eyes flicked to the other side of the bed.

"He's pretty much been there the whole time. The medic-nin in charge of your surgery assured us that you weren't in any life-threatening danger, but I guess you know best how he can be when he's worried." She blinked several times, processing his words slowly. Hinata carefully lifted her head, and even that minor action caused no small amount of strain. Before her head fell back she caught a glimpse of Naruto's shock of blond hair; the side of his face was resting on the bed by her thigh, and his hand was covering hers. He looked almost as tired as she felt. There were tears building in the corners of her eyes by the time she relaxed her neck again.

"I . . . wasn't strong enough," she said in a quiet, tight voice. "I couldn't do it."

"If it makes you feel any better, last I checked Neji is still unconscious," Sasuke said lightly, though when a tear broke away and started running down her cheek he sighed and leaned forward, folding his hands and speaking seriously. "Hinata, you were incredible. You held your own against _Neji_; do you think I could have done that? Even Kakashi-sensei says he's Konoha's top genin."

"That's not what I mean," she choked. He blinked at her a few times, and when she managed to turn her head enough for him to see her eyes they were shimmering. "If I had aimed . . . for the vertebrae instead of to its side, I could have . . . won." Hinata winced, her breath coming short as she tried to calm herself down. Sasuke was on his feet again, resting a hand on her shoulder and looking a little worried.

"It's alright, Hinata. If your kunai had hit his spine he might have–"

"Died," she coughed. Her heart rate was rising quickly, and with every beat a vice tightened around her chest. "Or crippled, but . . . but . . ."

"Hey, hey," Sasuke soothed, his tone fully concerned now. "Take a minute and just breathe. Breathe." Hinata shut her eyes tight and tried, focusing on her pulse and willing herself to calm down. Getting too emotional in her state could cause complications. It took nearly five minutes for her already shallow breathing to get back to normal, and when she finally opened her eyes they were dry and a little unfocused. Her voice was calm again, albeit hoarse.

"But I couldn't." She sounded tired now, and every syllable carried with it a modicum of doubt and old, deep-seated self-loathing that Sasuke couldn't have missed if he'd tried. "He was right . . . I'm too weak; not cut out to be a shinobi."

"Mm . . . Hinata-chan, stop that . . ." They both froze. Sasuke's lips were parted in an unspoken response when his eyes traveled down to where Naruto lay slumbering. The blond boy's eyes were still closed, and he had inadvertently started nuzzling Hinata's hand in his sleep. He made a few more sleepy noises before concluding his muttering. "No, stop . . . I don't want any broccoli . . ."

Hinata couldn't help it – she laughed, though the sound came out a bit choked. She squeezed his hand as tightly as she could. _What would Naruto-kun say if he heard me right now? Crying and feeling sorry for myself; he'd be ashamed of me._ Sasuke was shaking his head and smiling faintly; it wasn't his typical smirk, either. Both corners of his lips were quirked up as he turned his eyes back to her.

"You know as well as I do just how wrong that is, Hinata. You know what Naruto would say if he were awake?" She closed her eyes, and her head tilted forward slightly in a nod. He continued regardless, knowing it was best she heard it from somebody. "He'd tell you that what you did isn't considered weak, because kindness isn't the same thing as weakness. Even though Neji didn't deserve it, you chose not to win the match if it meant putting his life in danger. That took more strength than he'll ever have."

It was a gradual thing, but after a few minutes of silence Hinata began to rein in her negative thoughts. It took a lot more effort than expected, but somewhere deep down she knew that Sasuke was right. He wouldn't lie to her. And if she really, truly thought hard on it, even she was surprised by how well she had done against Neji. "Kakashi-sensei . . . He did say not to prioritize the mission over our comrades, right?"

"Right," Sasuke agreed. "I'm not sure I can think of Neji as a comrade after that, but I understand that he's your family. You did the right thing, Hinata." She smiled faintly, her eyes already sliding closed. He watched her for a moment before moving back around to the window, slipping back on the sill. In her state that conversation had likely taken a lot out of her; it would be best to let her rest.

"Thank you . . ." she mumbled, already nodding off.

"Get some rest," Sasuke said quietly, his eyes turning contemplatively out towards the moon. "Naruto would get mad at me if he knew I was keeping you up." Hinata didn't hear him. The last things she remembered of that night were Naruto's hand squeezing her own, and thinking just how lucky she was to have such friends.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"It's hard to believe that Lee-san got beaten." Naruto shook his head; he _could_ believe it, though. Gaara had been Lee's opponent. "I'm glad Gai stopped it in time, though. How's he doing?" he asked, leaning back against his pillow and resting his head on the wall. Hinata sat next to him on her hospital bed, looking a great deal healthier than she had a few days earlier. She was still weak, but able to sit up next to him. She was only leaning on his arm a little because the support was necessary, of course.

"He's bedridden for a little while, which upset him quite a bit. But Gai keeps reminding him that if Gaara had gotten that last attack off, he could have been crippled for life." Kakashi stood at the foot of the bed with his hands in his pockets, examining his team. Sasuke was perched on the windowsill as usual, reading a book that Haku had recommended. The color had fully returned to Hinata's face now, and her demeanor was more or less back to normal. Naruto was his typical self, though markedly quieter out of consideration for his injured friend. Haku was there as well, mirroring Sasuke on the other side of the sill and reading another novel. "Gai wanted me to thank you, by the way," he continued, looking pointedly to Naruto. The boy tilted his head and raised an eyebrow; the action brought the side of his head into contact with the top of Hinata's. Kakashi was glad to note that the girl was feeling well enough to blush again.

"Thank me for what? You were the one who warned them about Gaara."

"If you hadn't told me about Gaara, I wouldn't have been able to warn Lee to be careful. The Hokage forbade me from telling any specifics, but Gai knows me well enough to take me on my word. When he saw that look in Gaara's eyes when Lee was down, he stopped the fight immediately." Kakashi shrugged and leaned back against the wall, almost knocking over one of the flower vases in the process. "So in effect, you saved Lee's career as a ninja, and possibly his life."

"If you want to get that technical," Naruto responded dryly, flexing his fingers around Hinata's, "You should thank the Kyuubi. He's the one who told me." Kakashi blinked at that, and then cast a sharp look at Haku. He hadn't moved at all save to lick his finger and flip a page.

"We told him," Sasuke said dismissively, flipping the pages of his book every few seconds. Kakashi could see the red of his irises in the window's faint reflection; why hadn't he ever thought to read through _Icha Icha Paradise_ with his Sharingan? The jounin sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Check with me before you share sensitive information with anybody in the future, understand? Haku may be your friend, but he's my responsibility. That knowledge is dangerous for anybody to have, but even more so for somebody not of our village." Haku flinched very slightly, which surprised Kakashi enough to make him stop. The boy wasn't one to convey many emotions openly. Maybe he was being too strict; after all, Haku had been accepted into their fold, and he had proven willing to follow Kakashi's orders and help Team Seven in whatever ways he could.

"When are you and Sasuke leaving for training?" Hinata asked after a moment. Her voice was nearly back to its usual strength, just a bit quieter and only touched with fatigue.

"Today; I actually came here to get him. You're coming with us too, Haku." The pair on the windowsill looked up at the same time, and it was difficult to tell who was more surprised. "I'm going to be working with Sasuke on his physical endurance, strength, and speed primarily. If he's going to be fighting Gaara, he'll need it. You can help him with his speed like you have already, just more . . . intensely." Sasuke almost shuddered at the thought of nearly a month of training with Kakashi, but Haku just beamed.

"I'd be glad to, Kakashi-sensei," the older boy said immediately. "If I can be of use to Sasuke-kun, I will."

"You're _helping_ me," Sasuke corrected, grimacing at Haku's choice of words. "I'm not using you."

"Of course." Haku smiled at him, and Sasuke got the feeling that his friend didn't understand the difference at all.

"Naruto," Kakashi began again, turning to give his other student a level look. "I didn't object to your spending time with Hinata while she was recovering, but now that she's clearly alright again I expect you to start your training. I've arranged for you to start this afternoon. You are to meet your instructor at our usual gathering point at two o'clock. Got it?"

"Yes, sensei. Are you going to tell me who it is yet?" Naruto sighed and unlaced his fingers from Hinata's, stretching upwards. "I still think I'd do better training by myself, and with Hinata-chan when she's better."

"You'll think otherwise soon enough. Sasuke, Haku: let's go. Good luck, Naruto, and I hope you're fully recovered soon Hinata." Kakashi waved as Naruto nodded and Hinata gave him a small smile. Sasuke closed his book and stuffed it in his back pouch before sliding off the windowsill, stepping over to the bed and holding out his fist to Naruto. The blond grinned and rapped his friend's knuckles. Sasuke then extended his arm to Hinata, who blinked at it for a second before giggling lightly and pressing her closed fist against his.

"Oh, Sasuke," Naruto began, stopping Sasuke before he could step away. "I forgot to ask how your date with Sakura went. That was last night, right?"

"Yeah, it was," he shrugged. "It went a lot better than I expected it to. I'll tell you how the next one goes in more detail; we're supposed to go out again when I get back from training." Naruto raised an eyebrow, and Hinata's eyes widened. He flashed them both a smirk before continuing nonchalantly. "See you two in a few weeks. Don't get in too much trouble without me." Sasuke turned and put his hands in his pockets, walking to the door behind Kakashi. Haku smiled at Naruto and Hinata, gave them a knowing, mischievous wink, and then hurried after Sasuke. A moment later they were gone, leaving the pair to themselves. Hinata started absently tracing lines in Naruto's palm with her thumb, waiting a few seconds before speaking up.

"You have to leave in an hour, yeah?" It wasn't really a question; of course he needed to. Naruto nodded anyway, looking distracted. Hinata could tell what he was thinking about without having to ask. "I know we talked about it already, but please don't dwell on what Neji did. It wasn't . . . really his fault."

"I know, I know," Naruto sighed, though he already looked irritated. "The thing with the branch family and the head family, he's got that cursed seal on his forehead, his dad died when he was young. I'm not mad at him for going so hard on you – well, I am, but whatever. I just . . ." He struggled for a second, then exhaled deeply again. "I just can't forgive him for trying to kill you, for _intending_ to kill you even after the match was over." Hinata winced; they had told her about it when she had come fully back to consciousness, and it was difficult to think about. She had decided to keep their conversation within the arena to herself; they had overheard some of it, but she knew Naruto and Sasuke would be livid if they were privy to the whole thing.

"Even so, you promised not to do any more than necessary to win. Don't let him get to you." She quieted then and flushed, wondering when she had become so forward as to demand things from Naruto. He didn't seem to mind, though, only nodding and continuing to stare at the wall. "Thank you, by the way . . ." That seemed to snap him out of whatever daze he was in, and he turned to blink curiously at her. "F-for staying with me, I mean. I . . . I appreciated having you here."

"Oh, ah . . ." Naruto reddened slightly, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I was just really worried, and I didn't want you to wake up alone in the hospital. Sorry for drooling on your hand while I was asleep, though." That didn't explain why he had been there nigh constantly since she had come to, but Hinata didn't inquire further. A demure smile lifted the corners of her lips, and she lowered her head to rest against his shoulder. He tensed for a fraction of a second, then smiled and lifted his hand from hers. Before she had time to register it his left arm had lifted over her head, settling down behind her with his hand resting near her hip. It was her turn to tense, but it lasted for quite a bit longer.

"N-Naruto-kun?" she stammered, not daring to move. Hinata didn't see his blush deepen, too concentrated on her sudden lightheadedness.

"What? Did I make you uncomfortable?" His voice was full of concern, and he started to move his hand away a second later. Before it broke contact, however, Hinata's own hand clasped it back to her.

"N-no! I was just . . . surprised."

"Oh." He relaxed again, settling back against the pillows. Hinata kept her left hand atop his, slipping her fingers in between his own and holding on tight. Her tension began to fade away, and the two of them remained that way for a time. Hinata closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the blissful silence without feeling guilty or worried, slowly beginning to piece her thoughts together.

_I must have missed it happening . . . while I was waiting._

* * *

/*\

* * *

Naruto sighed, scowling at the creek below. He had arrived a few minutes late after falling asleep with Hinata, a memory that brought a flush back to his features. But it had been at least half an hour since then and he hadn't seen a single person pass by the bridge. The only signs of life were a few minnows drifting lazily in the water.

_This sucks; I could be training right now._

_**You could have been training for the last five days. **_The response wasn't exactly patronizing, but it held a clear tone of disapproval. _**Not only was it a waste of time, but it was boring as hell. How can you just sit around with your girlfriend for that long? She was unconscious for half of it.**_

_Making sure that Hinata's okay was more important than training,_ Naruto retorted firmly. _Besides, I did some chakra control exercises while she was sleeping. It's not exactly easy to sit on the ceiling for a few hours. _The term 'girlfriend' caught his attention; had the fox always referred to Hinata like that?

_**Right, that will **_**definitely**_** help you when you have to fight the Hyuuga boy. That kid's nothing to mess with.**_

_I'll be ready. I want to spend most of my time this month figuring out how to let more of your chakra out; I intend to use as much of it as I can against him._

_**I told you**__**–**_

_No, I'm telling you this time._ If the Kyuubi had a physical form, it might have looked to have taken a slap to the face. _I haven't really argued with you up to now, but this is different. Neji tried to _kill _Hinata. I'm not going to break my promise to her; I'll only go as far as I need to. But I'm going to use everything I can up front to teach him a lesson._ To Naruto's surprise, he could sense the fox grinning.

_**Revenge, huh? **_ Naruto shrugged, and the Kyuubi barked out a laugh. _**Fine, mortal. I don't object. But how do you expect to release more of my chakra? There's no noticeable change from day to day; the seal was designed to loosen gradually. **_**Very **_**gradually; you won't notice a difference for months to come.**_

_I don't know, but maybe somebody who knows a lot about fuuinjutsu can help._

"Are you sure this is the right kid, Gama?" Naruto spun, dropping instinctively into a goken stance. He hadn't sensed or heard anything, but as soon as he turned he was confronted with a sight that made his jaw drop. A massive toad – one large enough to take up the breadth of the bridge – stood no more than a meter from him, staring down with huge, flat eyes. Atop its head a man sat cross-legged, his arms folded and regarding Naruto with a dubious expression. He wasn't as old as the Hokage, but he must have been nearing fifty at least. The man had extraordinarily long white hair, held back by a broad hitai-ate emblazoned with the symbol for 'oil'. The giant amphibian let out an echoing, somehow affirmative croak. Naruto took a step back, eyes wide on the newcomers.

"Ah . . . Who are – what is . . . what?" The man raised an eyebrow, then sighed and shook his head.

"This is the thanks I get for my research? I get blackmailed into babysitting some clueless brat?" Naruto bristled at that, standing up straight and narrowing his eyes.

"Are _you_ who's supposed to be training me?" he asked incredulously. _Kakashi-sensei said I wouldn't regret it, but . . ._ He took a deep breath and relaxed a little, though he kept an eye on the toad as he amended his statement. Iruka would get upset with him if he neglected his manners, even if the old man was being rude. "Sorry. I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Kakashi-sensei said I was supposed to meet somebody here to start my training."

"He didn't even tell you my name?" the man asked, his eyes showing genuine disbelief. He put a hand to his forehead in exaggerated distress, donning a look of – probably – feigned anguish. "Youths these days don't know how to respect their elders! First that upstart interrupts my all-important information gathering, and now my identity is to be lost to antiquity?!" He glanced down at Naruto to make sure that the blond was following along; all he received in response were a few bewildered blinks. He scowled and jumped up, striking a dramatic pose and whipping his hair in a circle before flinging it back over his shoulder. "I am the renowned Toad Sage of Myoubokuzan!"

"Toad Sage?" Naruto titled his head to the side. "What's that? And . . . what's _that_?" he asked, pointing at Gama. The man's eyebrow twitched, and after a moment he dropped the pose and appeared to deflate some.

"What does it look like, kid? It's a toad!"

"But why is it so big?" Naruto received a flat look in response, and a moment later the toad erupted into a cloud of white smoke. The man landed lightly on the ground, looking the blond boy up and down before shaking his head again, clearly exasperated.

"Haven't you ever heard of summoning techniques? What do they teach at the academy these days?"

"Of course I have," Naruto said defensively. He was trying to be respectful, but it was getting harder to take the man seriously with all of the sarcasm being served up. "I've just never seen anything like that. The only animals I've seen summoned are Kakashi-sensei's ninken and some big snakes." As soon as the last word left his lips, the Sage's demeanor changed and he sobered considerably.

"Snakes, huh? I heard about your little encounter with Orochimaru." Naruto balked at that, tensing for a second before responding carefully.

"Only the jounin instructors and the Hokage are supposed to know about that. I've never seen you before; how do you know about it?" His inquiry was met with a gruff laugh, and the man sidled past him to lean over the railing. When Naruto turned to him again the odd shinobi was studying the small fish pensively; all hints of his previous eccentric behavior were gone.

"It's not important _how _I know." He was quiet for a while after that, and eventually Naruto moved beside him to watch the stream as well. The white-haired man cast a furtive glance at the boy and grinned slightly. _He looks just like you, Minato._ _I wonder if he's as strong as the rumors say._ Naruto noticed his smirk and looked up curiously. _Well, I told Kakashi that I'd only talk to him, but we'll see what he can do first._

"Alright kid, I can't train you unless I know what you're capable of. I know that you have a lot of chakra, that you prefer taijutsu over ninjutsu, and that you can't do any genjutsu to save your life." Naruto scowled as he went on, but didn't argue. The Sage smirked and continued. "I also happen to know that you have access to a . . . different chakra source, correct?" He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, but Naruto still froze and paled slightly.

"How do you–" The man waved a hand dismissively, cutting him off.

"I told you kid: _how_ isn't important. I have reason to believe that you also know what the chakra is, and why you have it." Naruto said nothing, but nodded stiffly. _I didn't expect him to be open about it, but he's a lot more closed up than I expected._ "So, tell me about it."

"I . . ." Naruto hesitated, thinking hard. Iruka had told him that he could share the information with anybody he chose to, within reason. He knew nothing about this stranger. No matter how the man presented himself, it could be a bad idea to tell him about the Kyuubi. "I'd like to know who you are first. It's not something I talk to people about, and if you really did know about it you'd be treating me differently than you are." That earned him a surprised look, and the older ninja considered it for a moment.

_Treat him differently? What . . ._ He understood a moment later after he saw the expression that Naruto was holding. The boy was defensive and untrusting, and of more than just him. Maybe he had come on a little strong, but that alone wouldn't be enough to back the kid into a corner. _Damned villagers,_ he thought bitterly, grimacing back at the creek. He shrugged then, sighing in mock exasperation.

"My name is Jiraiya. Don't go bragging to your friends about meeting me, either." Naruto's brow furrowed, and after a few seconds he gave a start and straightened. Before last week he hadn't heard that name before, but following the confrontation with Orochimaru he had asked Hinata about the Sannin she had mentioned. And unless this man simply shared the name . . .

"You're . . . one of the Sannin?" The knowing wink Jiraiya gave him didn't exactly provide any proof, but something about his nonchalant, confident mannerisms gave Naruto the feeling that he wasn't lying.

"You at least know that the three Sannin are famous for their summons, right? Well, I'm the Toad Sage; my contract is with toads of Mount Myouboku. Orochimaru has one with snakes of Ryouchi Cave, and Tsunade's is with the slug Katsuyu of Shikkotsu Forest. You can ask your sensei if you don't believe me, but he is the one who asked me to come here." _More like twisted my arm, but it might yet prove to be interesting. _That explanation seemed to satisfy Naruto for the time being; he wasn't about to take Jiraiya's word without asking Kakashi first, but it was enough to make him act with a little more respect. After a moment's consideration he bowed to the older man, inclining his head to a similar degree as he would for the Sandaime. Jiraiya scowled again, but Naruto didn't seem to notice.

"I apologize for being rude, Jiraiya-sama, I–"

"Okay, okay, kid – Naruto, right? If I'm going to be helping with your training, just call me 'Jiraiya-sensei'. You don't have to be so formal. Now, just tell me what you know about your chakra." He seemed more flustered than annoyed, but Naruto only nodded and adopted an apprehensive expression.

_**He probably already knows. He's one of the Hokage's students, and he's old enough to remember the events of that wretched day.**_

_He didn't react the same way towards me as the other villagers, though. If he knew about you, would he have agreed to train me?_

_**I know it's hard to believe, **_the Kyuubi stated wryly, _**But not everybody is a narrow-minded imbecile.**_

_That's a surprising thing to hear you say. _ It was odd to be found teasing the fox, but its rumbling growl gave him a bit of satisfaction from it. "I know it's from the Kyuubi no Kitsune," Naruto stated simply, shrugging as he turned back to the water. "We started working together a few months ago, and he's been teaching me how to use his chakra." Apparently this was not the response that Jiraiya had been expecting.

"You and the demon fox started to _what?_" the Sage nearly sputtered, eyes widening. Naruto fidgeted a little before shrugging again.

"I can use the Kyuubi's chakra when I need to," he said again. "Before I could only use it when I was . . . Well, it was usually when I was really mad. But I talked to him about it and we decided that it was in our best interest that I learn how to use it normally, like it was just another energy source or something. He always says it should be used as an extension of my chakra, for things that take a lot of energy to do. If I need to make more than fifty Shadow Clones, for example, it makes more sense to use his chakra so I won't be as drained by it." He stopped there, growing more uncomfortable at Jiraiya's increasingly disbelieving countenance.

"Well," the man started after a recomposing himself. He coughed, shaking his head as he stared thoughtfully over Naruto's shoulder, his eyes unfocused. "I expected you to know about it, and maybe even know where it was from. But I didn't expect you to be able to use it at will already."

"Already?" Jiraiya nodded and turned his gaze back to Naruto.

"Follow me; I'll show you what I mean." He turned and began walking, his sandals clacking upon the bridge's wooden planks. Naruto hurried to fall in beside Jiraiya, his mind racing at the Sage's words.

It took only a few minutes to reach the nearest secluded area: the third training ground. Naruto smiled faintly when he saw the three wooden posts near the Memorial Stone. It felt like it had been so long since they had passed Kakashi's test there, even though it had been only a few short months ago. Jiraiya led him to the center post, smirking and placing his hand fondly on it. Before Naruto could say anything, the man turned towards him and folded his arms.

"Alright, Naruto. Take your coat and shirt off." Naruto raised an eyebrow, but did as he was told without arguing. He placed his long black coat on one of the poles, his grey shirt following shortly after. "Good, now start channeling a bit of the Kyuubi's chakra; it doesn't matter where or for what purpose. Just send some to the soles of your feet for now, like you're walking on water or something." Naruto nodded, concentrating the chakra as instructed. As he did, the seal over his torso appeared; it was something that he was still trying to get used to. Hinata had noticed it first when he had begun training with the Kyuubi's chakra, and since then he realized that it showed up every time the demon fox's chakra was accessed.

"This was made using the Eight Trigrams Sealing Technique," Jiraiya mused, kneeling in front of Naruto and examining the markings. A thick spiral was nestled between two intricate arcs above and below, each containing flowing runes and symbols that branched outward at four points. It looked like a tattoo on his stomach, but much clearer as if it had been drawn with fresh ink. "You see these two individual seals?" He pointed to the two arcs, then moved his finger to where they almost connected to form a circle around the spiral center. "Each one is a Four Symbols Seal, a special jutsu meant to contain something inside of something else. When the Fourth sealed the Kyuubi, it looks like he used two on purpose. See the spaces here on either side, where they don't quite connect to form a circle?" Naruto nodded, entranced by the explanation. "I suspect he did that on purpose, to allow space for the demon's chakra to leak out and mix with your own.

"What I meant before is that the Yondaime likely intended for you to be able to use the Kyuubi's chakra eventually; it may have been his way of protecting you. But I don't think even he would have expected that you'd be able to use it at will already." He stood slowly, eyes lingering on the seal before nodding again. "Now show me what you can do with it." Naruto hesitated for only a moment before stepping back, turning inward for a moment first.

_You don't mind, right?_

_**Are you kidding? This guy could help loosen the seal; go all out and show him what you're capable of, and maybe he'll consider it.**_ Naruto nodded, which earned him a befuddled look from Jiraiya. He wasn't interested in explaining that he could talk to the Kyuubi at will, so instead he just brought out as much chakra as he could.

Jiraiya smirked as the vermilion cloak crept up around Naruto. The chakra was fundamentally different than most; normally when chakra was strong enough to be seen it took on an appearance not unlike fire. Jiraiya was surprised to see, however, that it looked more like thick reddish liquid, with small bubbles throughout that gave it the appearance of perpetually boiling water. The single tail twitched back and forth behind him, like it was trying to get a better view of Jiraiya. But Naruto didn't appear to be finished yet.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A breath later the clearing was packed with orange-shrouded Narutos, all bare-chested and looking at the Sage with a myriad of expressions. Some seemed curious, others excited; the majority appeared calm and patient, simply waiting for whatever comment the man had to offer.

"Interesting. Very interesting, kid. Is that all the chakra you can use?"

"Yes," Naruto responded slowly, allowing the few dozen clones to disperse. "I can use it like that to make me faster and stronger, or I can use it to make my ninjutsu more powerful. I'm still working on doing both at once; it's hard to concentrate on using it like this, balancing it with my own chakra, and then mixing both for ninjutsu." Jiraiya stared at him for a time before shaking his head again, chuckling.

"You've got a lot on your plate, I see. That chakra source should let you perform summoning techniques with relative ease; they generally require a large amount of chakra. How would you like to learn?" Naruto blinked at him as he allowed the chakra to fade, retrieving his clothes while he thought it over.

"Summoned animals are supposed to help you when you need them, right?" he asked after slipping back into his shirt. Jiraiya nodded, and Naruto paused in picking up his coat. "That toad you were riding earlier was huge. How big do they usually get?" At that his new sensei laughed.

"That was Gama, one of the average-sized toad summons. He likes to get outside of Mount Myouboku for some fresh air, and he's a great friend, so I summon him from time to time. The biggest toads, however . . ." He thought for a moment, and then grinned broadly. "If Gamabunta was standing at the base of the academy, his head might reach the faces of the Hokage monument." Naruto's lips parted in wordless surprise, and he coughed once or twice before he was able to respond.

"Ah, right. So you can . . . summon one of those huge toads to do stuff for you?"

"Yes and no," Jiraiya responded cryptically, letting the boy muddle in confusion before continuing. "A summoning jutsu is what's called a space-time technique, one that manipulates people or objects and sends them through a dimensional . . ." He trailed off upon seeing Naruto's puzzled expression, and he sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. It was a complicated subject to teach a twelve-year-old. "The important part is that when you summon something, it gets taken from one place and put in another instantly. There's no travel time; it just appears where you summon it. Get it?" Naruto nodded, and Jiraiya decided that sticking with simplicity would be best for now.

"Signing a contract with an animal aspect gives you the right and permission to call upon them. However, that doesn't mean that they _have_ to come help you; you're not their master. If Gama was busy when I wanted to summon him, he could refuse to come. He'd also be able to tell that I was the one trying to summon him. Conversely, an animal summon can choose to summon _you _in what's called a reverse-summon. So far I haven't been able to figure out how to refuse one of those," he laughed, though the statement made Naruto a little nervous. "But it would only happen in an emergency I'm sure, or with your permission. Any questions?"

"Ano . . . You keep mentioning a contract, sensei. What do you mean?" Jiraiya nodded and took a few steps to the side. He lifted his hand and bit down hard on his thumb, drawing blood immediately. His hands went through a series of seals – boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram – in deliberately slow movements so that Naruto could follow along. After the final seal he leaned down and pressed his palm to the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Black lines shot out from his palm, spreading across the ground like living ink. They twisted in what looked to be a foreign script, and in almost the same instant a circle of the same design appeared all around Jiraiya's hand, connecting the lines. Before Naruto could study the markings closely, a plume of white smoke burst forth from the pattern, concealing the Sage for a few seconds. When it cleared, he was once again sitting atop Gama's head, grinning down at Naruto smugly. The large frog had its tongue lolling out, holding a sizeable scroll in its slimy clutches. It lowered the document carefully, and Jiraiya dropped to the ground beside it.

"Whoa," Naruto breathed. _Even if this guy isn't actually Jiraiya, he can do some really cool stuff._

_**He seems to know a lot, too,**_ the fox pointed out. _**Would have been better if he was a Sage of something other than frogs, though; I hate frogs.**_

_Why? Not that I'm surprised that you hate something._

_**Frogs are food. And don't get cheeky with me, mortal.**_

"This is the contract you'd have to sign in order to be allowed to summon toads," Jiraiya said, brandishing the big cylindrical parchment. "You sign it with your own blood, and the contract is binding even after death; if somebody were to get ahold of your blood, they could use the summoning technique as well." He flipped the scroll over and unraveled it, displaying a series of signatures with accompanying fingerprints alongside blank spaces for future contractees. The most recent name read 'Jiraiya', with the one preceding spelling out 'Namikaze Minato'.

"The Fourth Hokage had a contract with the toads?" Naruto stared at the name; the other, more faded ones didn't even register.

"Aye, he did. Minato was my student, you know." Jiraiya was smiling when Naruto looked up at him; he could see more respect building behind those blue eyes.

"But . . ." He chewed on his lower lip, looking back to the scroll. "Isn't this kind of a big decision to make?" _Iruka always said to think hard about big decisions, and try to sleep on it at least._ He could hear the fox laughing at him, but he ignored it.

"I suppose it is," Jiraiya said slowly, watching Naruto. "But you can always make more than one contract if you want; you're not bound to one if you don't want to be. Just don't go trying to summon more than one or you could be in for a rough time."

_**I wouldn't sign it, kid.**_

_Why not? Being able to summon a toad like Gamabunta might be really helpful some time._

_**I fought Gamabunta once,**_ the Kyuubi started matter-of-factly. Naruto was taken aback not only at the knowledge, but at the fox using the name of something rather than referring to it passively. The measure of respect was . . . strange. _**The Yondaime summoned him to fight me twelve years ago before sealing me away. He's definitely strong, but you're better off finding your own summon that's less likely to have a grudge against me. Besides . . . I hate frogs.**_ Naruto chuckled aloud, eliciting a growl from the Kyuubi and a questioning eyebrow from Jiraiya.

"I appreciate the honor, Jiraiya-sensei. Do you mind if I think about it for a while first?" The man nodded to him and resealed the scroll, tossing it back for Gama to hold.

"It's your blood; there's plenty of other stuff you can do with that chakra. I can teach you a few things, I suppose . . ." Jiraiya's expression changed to one of apparent severity and intense consideration, and he seemed to study Naruto carefully for a time. "I need to get back to my research for today, but I want you to spend the rest of daylight practicing with molding the Kyuubi's chakra with your own into techniques. Kakashi tells me that your ninjutsu is the weaker of your salvageable skills, so work hard on the techniques you're learning. I'll meet you back here tomorrow morning at ten, got it?"

"Yes, sensei," Naruto said immediately, grinning up at Jiraiya. The man gave him a calculated nod and turned, disappearing back into the woods and chatting at Gama the whole way.

_I wonder what kind of research he does. With the way he was talking about it I guess it must be something important, and maybe even secret._

_**Beats me, **_the Kyuubi yawned. _**Just make sure to ask him tomorrow about the seal. I want to be able to stretch my proverbial legs a bit more.**_

_Yeah, yeah, I will. Now focus and help me with this training. I'm still not that good at maintaining the partial cloak and using ninjutsu._ The red-orange chakra sprang back up around him, though only as a haze and without the tail formed.

_**All you need to do is focus. You humans and your one-track brains are aggravating.**_ Despite the snide remark, the Kyuubi helped Naruto stay focused on the task at hand. He did as Jiraiya had instructed, beginning work on a lightning technique Sasuke had shown him a few weeks before while making sure to keep his entire body covered with the fox's chakra at the same time. It would prove to be a frustrating afternoon.

* * *

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* * *

"Hinata-chan, you have visitors." Hinata's eyes fluttered open at the sound of a familiar voice; it was the kindly nurse that frequently checked up on her.

"Visitors . . . ?" She quickly rubbed at the corners of her eyes, blinking the sleep away before the door opened. Judging by the soft light flowing in from the window it was nearing sunset. Naruto he would still be training until after dark, and Sasuke and Haku were gone with Kakashi. "Please, come in," Hinata responded a little louder, carefully sitting up and propping a few pillows behind her.

"Hey there ninja princess," Tenten greeted her, smiling warmly from behind the nurse as she stepped in. "Feeling better?" After a moment's confusion Hinata's features lit up with a smile of her own, tinged with a blush at her friend's choice of words.

"It's good to see you, Tenten-senpai. I'm feeling much better, thank you." While Tenten made her way to the long table to set down some fresh flowers, the nurse waited by the door, her gaze cast out into the hallway.

"I still don't think it's a good idea for you to be up and about yet, Lee-kun," the woman worried. A few seconds later Lee came limping into the room with a crutch under one arm and a fierce, determined grin on his face.

"This is nothing; I'll never fully recover if I don't push myself!" He grunted as he crossed the threshold, and the nurse only sighed and gave Hinata a weak smile before leaving them to themselves.

"Lee-senpai," Hinata started concernedly as Tenten helped ease him into a chair. "Are you sure you're okay to be out of bed?"

"Of course!" he responded emphatically, straightening as soon as he was settled. She barely even noticed his wince. "I had to come speak to you." He leaned forward, his voluminous eyebrows furrowed as he took on a serious expression. "You fought on par with Neji, Hinata-san. And what's more, you rendered him unconscious so that he could not see my secret move in the fight against Gaara of the Sand. I am indebted to you." He bowed his head to her, causing a renewed blush to spring up on the girl's face.

"A-Ano . . ." Hinata fidgeted with the sheets in her lap, not entirely sure how to respond. Luckily Tenten was there to roll her eyes and pat Lee sympathetically on the shoulder.

"Lee, you're being dramatic again. Although I wish _I_ had been awake to see whatever technique you're bragging about," she grumbled, dropping into the chair next to his. "Stupid fan girl."

"It was unfortunate that you had to fight her," Hinata sympathized, but Tenten only shook her head and laughed.

"I'm glad that it happened; it reminded me that we won't always get to choose who we fight. I bet the test was designed that way, so that some people would be forced into bad matchups. I mean, as a chuunin – as a squad leader – we'd have to figure out how to overcome situations like that, so it makes sense. I just need to train harder, and focus on my weak areas." Lee nodded and grinned at his teammate's determination, and Hinata couldn't help but smile as well. She admired Tenten's outlook, a perspective the older girl and Lee seemed to have in common.

"Have Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun begun their training?" Lee asked a moment later, intense gaze turning back to Hinata.

"Yes; they both left today. Kakashi-sensei is training Sasuke-kun with Haku-chan's help, and Naruto-kun went to train with . . . Well," she faltered. "I don't know who he went to train with, but his teacher is supposed to be strong." Lee and Tenten shared a curious look, but they didn't press Hinata for details. "How . . . How is Neji-niisan?"

"He was only able to leave the hospital today," Tenten answered, smirking as Hinata's eyes widened slightly. "You really did a number on him, I heard."

"Yosh!" Lee exclaimed, his eyes alight. "It was inspiring, and I learned many things from it. Hinata-san's conviction is unrivaled; she kept getting up and fighting no matter what, and . . ." He continued into an exaggerated retelling of the encounter, and with every compliment or mention of her 'heroics' Hinata flushed deeper. By the end her index fingers were pressed together so hard that they turned white, and she had long since ducked her head.

"Y-You give me too much credit, Lee-senpai," she mumbled after he was finished, but before he could respond Tenten cut in with a chiding tone.

"Hinata, you're too humble; neither of us could have beaten Neji. Well, maybe Lee could have with his super-secret technique, but you fought on par with him without any tricks and nearly won. He's a year your senior, too; you should be proud of your accomplishment. Oh, and speaking of seniors," she continued firmly, "You don't have to keep addressing us like that. As far as I'm concerned, we're both genin, and you've already proved that you're on the same level as we are. We're equals – and friends – Hinata-_chan_."

Hinata blinked rapidly as a few tears threatened to escape the corners of her eyes. It was – more or less – the same thing Sasuke and Naruto had told her; Kakashi had even put in a similar word of praise. It was becoming more and more difficult to hold on to her own doubt.

"Thank you, Tenten-sen–" She stopped herself when Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Tenten-chan."

"There we go," the older kunoichi chimed, grinning again. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" Hinata offered a shy smile. Tenten considered her for a moment before turning to Lee. "Lee, you should go back and get some more rest. The medic-nin told you yesterday that you could be out by the end of the week if you stay in bed."

"But I wanted to talk to Hinata-san about her fight some more," Lee protested. Tenten gave him a flat look that left no room for arguing. The boy pouted a little but bounced back to his usual perky self in no time, turning back to Hinata. "Please allow me to visit again soon; I must hear about your training!" Hinata nodded slowly; it was difficult to read Lee most of the time, and sometimes his exuberance put her off balance. He flashed her a toothy grin before hoisting himself up with Tenten's assistance, hobbling to the door and giving them a last thumbs-up on his way out. Tenten rolled her eyes and shut the door, lowering herself back into the chair a moment later.

"So," she started without preamble, "How are you and Naruto doing?"

"We're . . ." Hinata stopped abruptly with her lips still parted, and after a few bewildered blinks she turned a brilliant shade of red. Tenten let out a rich laugh that devolved into a fit of giggles. Hinata only sat there, struck dumb at being caught so unexpectedly. It had been such a matter-of-fact question and her response had been immediate. _We . . ._

"You still haven't told him, have you?" Tenten teased lightly, causing Hinata to look quickly down. It took a few seconds, but she eventually shook her head, her face still burning. Tenten sighed and leaned back in her chair, still smiling. "Not that it's any of my business, I guess, but you two are pretty much dating already. I just don't think either of you have realized it yet."

"W-We're not!" Hinata insisted, still staring down at her hands; she was fidgeting with the sheets, too distracted to notice her fingers becoming entangled. "We're just . . . close friends."

"You and Sasuke are close friends," the other girl countered, "I don't see you holding his hand or looking at him the same way." Hinata floundered for an appropriate response, but after a time she could only offer a small sigh and lean back against her pillows. Tenten had known since the first day they had trained together, and had made sure to ask about their relationship once or twice since. At first Hinata had answered honestly – if not in a flustered state – that she and Naruto were only friends. But now . . .

"It's . . . We're doing fine," she said, but the words came out tired and unsure. "I think . . . I think we both know, but neither of us has confessed . . ."

"Why not?" Tenten asked, genuinely puzzled. "You two have been friends for years, and by all accounts you've only gotten closer over time."

"A-All accounts?" Hinata started, glancing quickly towards Tenten. The girl winked mischievously.

"I like to socialize," Tenten stated casually. Her expression sobered after a moment, though, and she looked down at her lap. "Hinata, you ought to tell him how you feel." Normally the statement might elicit another blush from Hinata, but the gravity with which it was said made her stop and wonder. "Our lives are dangerous; like someone said a few days ago, people died in the Chuunin Exam. We saw some of them, too. And we're still genin." She let the words sink in before continuing, still studying nothing in particular. "Once we're all chuunin or jounin, the missions will carry more risk, and the possibility of death will only rise with every operation. If Naruto makes chuunin and goes off to start performing more life-threatening assignments . . ." She didn't have to continue the thought; Hinata had already connected the dots.

"Hinata, Naruto could have died in the Forest of Death." Tenten's statement was a simple one, but it jarred Hinata enough to make her tense. She bit her lower lip hard and closed her eyes. "He could die in the next portion of the exam; even if he beats Neji, someone else might take him down. We're shinobi," she said quietly, eyes lifting to Hinata's. "Our lives are put on the line every day. There isn't room to be hesitant about your feelings. One of you could be gone tomorrow, and you'll have never shared your feelings for one another."

The pair sat in silence for a long while. The soft glow of sunlight faded slowly, and by the time Hinata spoke the room was nearly dark.

"I'll tell him after the exams," she said quietly. Tenten looked apprehensive, but she offered the older girl a small, confident smile. "He won't lose there, I promise. And I don't want to distract him from his training." Tenten looked reluctant to accept that, but she nodded and returned Hinata's smile.

"I'll hold you to it. You two make a cute couple." Hinata's blush returned in full force at that, and Tenten let out another laugh before standing up. "I'm sure he'll be back soon, so I'll head home for the night. I'll be back tomorrow, alright? And I'll bring some lunch, too!" Hinata smiled and nodded, and with a last wave Tenten departed.

Hinata sat and sifted through her thoughts until Naruto returned to regale her with the day's events. She was just as surprised as he had been about Jiraiya, and she asked question after question about summoning techniques. By the time he finished talking about how his solo training had gone, night had completely fallen and it was getting late.

"I don't think I've gotten any better," he lamented in conclusion, leaning back against the pillow beside Hinata. "But I'm going to ask Jiraiya-sensei if he'll look at the Kyuubi's seal for me tomorrow. He might be able to loosen it; he knows a lot about fuuinjutsu too."

"Are you sure?" she asked carefully, echoing her concerns from the previous week. Hinata was confident in Naruto's ability, but the Kyuubi's power frightened her still. It was hard to take his – or the fox's – word that it wasn't dangerous to release more of its chakra.

"Jiraiya-sensei said that the seal was made so that the Kyuubi's chakra could leak out, right? So I think I was supposed to be able to control it eventually." Hinata nodded, but seemed distracted. He glanced at her and smiled, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "If it turns out bad, he could always fix the seal again."

"Right," she agreed, feeling a little better with it in that context. Jiraiya wouldn't let anything get out of hand, and if he was as strong as Orochimaru he wouldn't have a problem subduing Naruto if he needed to. The thought of Naruto losing control brought about an involuntary shiver.

"Iruka-sensei said he wanted me to be home tonight," Naruto said after a few more minutes of light conversation. He sounded apologetic, but Hinata only nodded and put her free hand on his forearm.

"I'll be alright by myself, don't worry," she teased lightly. Naruto flushed before grinning sheepishly and rubbing at the back of his neck.

"I know that; I just like being here with you is all." It was her turn to blush. Hinata moved her hand from his and slipped it around his arm, holding it in as good of a hug as she could manage from her position next to him. Naruto placed a hand over hers and held tight for a few seconds before reluctantly slipping off of the bed and out of Hinata's embrace.

"I'll stop by tomorrow after training. Do you know when you'll be able to leave the hospital?"

"Another week or so," she replied sullenly; Naruto couldn't help but notice how cute Hinata looked when she was pouting. "But the medic-nin said that if my heart had been weaker, or if more chakra had been forced through it, I'd have been here for over a month. Or . . ." Hinata trailed off, and Naruto paled at the unfinished thought. A small, soft smile still crept onto his lips as he leaned down, one arm moving around her upper back to pull her to him. She leaned her head gently against his, and she moved one hand up to rest on the back of his neck.

"I'm glad you're safe," he said quietly, his voice a little thick. He gave her a brief squeeze before withdrawing, and as he did Hinata froze, a shiver running down the length of her spine. Inadvertently or not, Naruto's lips had brushed her cheek on his way back. When she looked up he was already by the door, and she held her breath when he turned back to her. Even in the dim light she could see his abashed grin; he looked back at her one last time before slipping silently from the room.

Hinata was left staring after him, one hand on her cheek and the other pressed to her stomach; the butterflies were out in force today. _Even if it wasn't intentional,_ she reasoned, settling back down and pulling the comforter up, _It felt . . ._ It was difficult for her to reconcile how it really had felt. Hinata drifted off to pleasant dreams in the midst of deciding how she would go about taking Tenten's advice, and how she would finally tell Naruto how much she cared for him.

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**Author's Note:**

Hey folks. It took a lot longer to get a shorter chapter out this week, for a lot of boring reasons that have mostly to do with work and my own laziness. Mostly the latter.

I do need to mention though that my week-to-week schedule will be changing in late August, and it will most certainly delay future updates. I purposefully neglected to commit to posting chapters on a schedule largely because I know I'll not be able to keep up the roughly one per week I have been doing. I think setting a deadline would only reduce the length and quality of each chapter, as opposed to writing when I feel inspired to and putting out something I can be proud of.

This chapter and the next I'm having fun with, emphasizing developing relationships instead of focusing entirely on training. I thank you for reading, and hope you enjoyed Chapter 14.

Thank you to Rhi as always for editing. It was a fun chapter to go through.

See you next time!


	15. Preparation and Progress

**Chapter 15 – Preparation and Progress**

Sasuke grunted and fell to one knee, clutching at his calf. A thin icicle protruded from the back of his leg, slowly being overtaken by the red taint of blood. A few of the mirrors surrounding him cracked and began to sink towards the ground. Haku's concerned features were reflected in every one; even without his old mask it was painfully reminiscent of their encounter in the Land of Waves. Before the technique could end, however, Kakashi appeared in front of Sasuke, looking down at him blandly.

"You're not done yet, Haku," the jounin stated calmly. The mirrors ceased their descent, and several of the fractures began to repair themselves. Haku still looked stricken with worry. "You've made a lot of progress this last week, Sasuke, but you need to be faster. You won't defeat Gaara like this."

"It'd help if you'd teach me that technique already," the boy retorted, clenching his teeth as he wrenched the frozen senbon from his flesh. The ice had thankfully numbed a bit of the pain, enabling him to stand shakily. "You can't expect me to be as fast as Lee after he opens those gates."

"Maybe, maybe not," Kakashi responded cryptically. "Do you think he's faster than me, even with them opened?" Sasuke opened his mouth, then closed it again. He hadn't seen first-hand exactly how fast Lee had been, but he doubted a genin of any calibre could even come close to Kakashi's agility. "There are other ways to increase your speed, Sasuke. Of your peers - including Naruto and Hinata - you are the most versatile. Your chakra control is excellent, your speed and power are above average, your skill with ninjutsu is well beyond your years, you're learning genjutsu, and besides Tenten there isn't another genin - or chuunin, for that matter - that can use ranged weapons like you can." He paused for a moment, and to his satisfaction Sasuke didn't appear pleased by the praise – he knew what was coming. "But in order to use the Chidori you must be faster, and you must be stronger. You are capable not because of your bloodline, but because you are strong."

"When do we move on to a different training regimen, then?" Sasuke sighed, testing his wounded leg gingerly. "I've been dodging thousands of icicles for a week straight."

"When you can last two hours without taking a hit, we'll start the real training." Sasuke scowled but didn't protest; he had managed to avoid Haku's onslaught for nearly an hour and a half before fatigue had caused him to slip up this time. He could do it. Kakashi turned and vanished again, his voice echoing around even after he had gone. "Keep going until you're out of chakra, Haku. And don't let up just because he's injured." Haku's reflections paled, but Sasuke gave him an encouraging – if tight – smile.

"Don't worry about me; go all out or it won't be worth it," Sasuke said firmly, lowering himself into a balanced stance. His left leg trembled as he put weight on it, but he refused to let the strain show on his face. Instead he adopted a placid expression, willing himself to be calm and focused. After only a second's hesitation Haku began again, and they didn't stop for over an hour.

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* * *

"Stop twitching," Kakashi ordered, though in a softer tone than usual. He was kneeling over Sasuke, who was lying on his chest on the cooling stone ground. The rock formations all around them cast ominous shadows in fading light of the setting sun, stretching like fingers into the valleys below. A gentle blue-green glow pulsed from the jounin's palm as he moved it up from the boy's leg and to his shoulder, stitching a trough of ruined tissue back together. "You did well today; you may be ready soon."

"Not well enough," Sasuke muttered, shivering at the strange sensation of his skin knitting back together. Hinata had healed his injuries plenty of times, but those had been nothing worse than fractured bones or bruises. Feeling deep gashes and stab wounds mending was a new experience. "I'll get it tomorrow." Kakashi said nothing, only nodding and moving on until he had closed the last cut. When he was through Sasuke groaned and sat up carefully, rolling his shoulders and flexing his complaining limbs. "Thanks." His teacher sat down opposite him and tossed him a small bag in lieu of a response, opening one of his own and withdrawing a cube of . . . something.

"Field rations," Kakashi explained to his dubious student. "Tomorrow you'll find us real food after your training, but I figured you could use some rest after today. We pushed you harder than usual."

"This is terrible," Sasuke sighed, though he took another bite of the 'food' regardless; he was famished enough to eat anything. He was silent for a time as he consumed the unusual meal. When he did speak he sounded tired, but determined. "Don't let up because I'm low on chakra. I could have gotten dinner like usual, and you know it."

"I do, but it was getting dark and we still have our discussion before you can sleep." Sasuke nodded and folded his legs, facing Kakashi. They had been going over the traits of the Sharingan every night as supplemental training, and though others may have found it arduous Sasuke wanted to learn everything he never had the opportunity to glean. "I've already covered the basic abilities of your Sharingan in fair depth, and so far you've shown natural ability with several. You can easily follow and predict movements now, and you're able to copy most ninjutsu after seeing them once. Your eyes are not yet developed enough to snare an enemy in a genjutsu, but you've shown promise in using illusory techniques already. You seem to be naturally more capable than most Uchiha - even Itachi." Sasuke tensed, but his expression remained a blank mask. "If you wish to bring your eyes to their full potential, all that you can do is train hard and survive stressful, life-threatening conditions."

"You explained the Curse of Hatred to me already; I was never told about that part of my clan's history. But . . ." He hesitated, glancing off to the side. Haku was lying on his bedroll with his back facing them. He had all but collapsed there after they had finished training, and it was becoming a nightly routine for the older boy to pass out after a long day of intense chakra consumption. Satisfied that his friend was asleep, he turned back to Kakashi and took on a careful tone. "Itachi said . . . Well . . . Kakashi-sensei, do you know about-"

"The Mangekyou Sharingan," Kakashi finished for him, sighing as he spoke. Sasuke pursed his lips and nodded tightly. "I knew you'd ask me about it eventually. Itachi has his, doesn't he?"

"Yeah," Sasuke replied gruffly, breaking eye contact. The memories that had resurfaced during Orochimaru's assault came back with harsh clarity. "He used the Tsukuyomi on me before he fled the village." Kakashi's visible eye widened at the admission before he closed it and shook his head.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know about that." Sasuke shrugged and stayed silent, waiting. After a long moment Kakashi lifted his hand, tugging his hitai-ate up and away from his left eye. He opened it slowly, meeting Sasuke's still active Sharingan with his own. _Mangekyou Sharingan_. Sasuke took in a sharp breath as Kakashi's pupil and tomoe distorted, merging and elongating until the entire iris was vastly different. The center circle was now red instead of black, and while the crimson background remained the majority of Kakashi's eye was now a black design that resembled a three-pointed shuriken, with curved, scythe-like protrusions breaking off at each tip to connect to the one beside it. Sasuke subconsciously shifted his weight back, the sight reminding him too well of that night years ago.

"How did you . . . I thought . . ." He couldn't find the words. If what his brother had said could be trusted, Kakashi would have had to . . .

"Remember what I told you of my old teammates, Obito and Rin?" Kakashi started quietly, looking away from Sasuke towards the last rays of sunlight. "Some time after Obito died, Rin was captured by the Hidden Mist and forced into becoming the vessel for the Sanbi." He glanced over at Sasuke's shocked features; with both of Kakashi's eyes visible Sasuke had a clear view of his bitter expression. "The Mist's plan was to have her rescued, and subsequently release the tailed beast into Konoha. When I found her she was being chased by Kiri ANBU, and she . . ." He stopped for a moment, looking away again. "She begged me to kill her, and I refused." Sasuke waited with bated breath, not daring to speak. It was rare for Kakashi to show any emotion, let alone speak from his own past, and the memory seemed painful enough without his butting in.

"While I was fighting the ANBU that had pursued her, she threw herself in front of my attack – the Chidori, no less – in order to protect our village and in an attempt to destroy the bijuu. I didn't realize it until much later, and I only recently put the events together myself. It seems that the Curse of Hatred lives on even for non-Uchiha," he finished bitterly, closing his eyes. When he opened them again his Sharingan was back to normal, and he quickly covered the eye with his forehead protector. "Sasuke, this eye is not worth obtaining for the loss you must endure. You should hope to never attain it." His student looked away, staring off at nothing for a time.

It took Sasuke nearly ten minutes to gather himself to respond, facing Kakashi again. "There's no other way, is there?"

"I'm not sure; I'm not of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke. Everything I know of the Sharingan I learned from observation and experience. If there is another way to obtain the Mangekyou, I don't know of it. But if the Curse of Hatred is involved, it's likely the only way." Sasuke went silent again, staring off into space. "You're seeking power for the right reasons, Sasuke. But do not be tempted to seek it in the wrong ways." The boy shivered once, remembering Naruto's words. _The right way._

"Right," Sasuke started, sighing and running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, can you explain again how I can step into somebody else's mind to break them out of a genjutsu? Can I invade people's minds in the same way?"

Kakashi began a lengthy explanation of the Sharingan's power of suggestion, following it up with an in-depth analysis of how the doujutsu allowed an advanced user to step into parts of another person's subconscious. Haku lay still nearby, his dark eyes staring out to where the sun had fallen.

_To be unable to reach one's full potential without sacrificing a precious person . . . What a terrible fate._

* * *

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* * *

"No," Jiraiya said firmly for the umpteenth time. "I gave you my conditions already, and I won't make an exception. You're going to learn this technique before I even think about loosening your seal." He was sitting cross-legged atop the center stump of the third training ground. Naruto stood below, looking obstinate with his arms folded across his chest.

**_Don't argue with him; he's offering to teach you an advanced jutsu._**

_Fine, fine; I thought you wanted to 'stretch your legs' or whatever._

**_There's plenty of time for that later, and I'm interested to hear more about this Rasengan. In theory it's a Bijuudama for you mortals._**

_A what? _Naruto asked, though aloud he said, "Alright, sorry. I just thought – since I've spent a week training to balance the Kyuubi's chakra – that I'd be ready."

"Not until I'm more confident in your control. Here." Jiraiya reached into his belt pouch and tossed a water balloon to his student. Naruto caught it carefully, quirking an eyebrow and looking at Jiraiya before glancing aside towards Hinata. She shrugged, seeming curious but unperturbed. She was sitting against the trunk of a nearby tree, enjoying the shade and watching Naruto's training. Jiraiya followed his look and grinned, winking slyly at the girl. Hinata flushed and looked away.

"You sure it's okay for your girlfriend to be here?" Jiraiya asked, loud enough that they could both hear him clearly.

"The medic-nin said that she was fine to leave the hospital as long as she rested for another two weeks. Besides, it's always nicer to be outside than in those stuffy rooms." He tried his best to answer straight without blushing at his sensei's choice of words, but the slightest bit of pink tinted his cheeks and gave him away. Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh. Hinata was busy plucking blades of grass, determinedly not listening. "Anyway," Naruto continued, "What's this for?" He hefted the water balloon, still eyeing it doubtfully.

"That's where your training starts," Jiraiya explained, nodding at the balloon. "I explained how the Rasengan is supposed to work; it doesn't require any hand seals, but you must have very precise chakra control to start the currents. After you manage to get it going it becomes self-sustaining, but getting there is the hard part. This is a very advanced jutsu, even among A-rank techniques." _He has the chakra capacity to pull it off, but if he's lacking in control like Kakashi says it may be beyond his ability._

"Ano . . . Sorry, sensei, but could you explain what the water balloon is for then? Am I supposed to put chakra into it or something?"

"Sort of," Jiraiya conceded. He held out his hand out palm-up so that Naruto could see clearly. Chakra began to concentrate his eyes, innumerable strands of blue energy rotating in every direction. After a few seconds the sphere seemed to solidify due to the amassed chakra, becoming an orb of raw power with a blinding white core. "The goal is to be able to manifest and rotate your chakra in such a way that it flows into a spherical shape, like this. The first step is to learn to move your chakra like that in an enclosed space. Get it?" Naruto nodded slowly, staring at the Rasengan with wide, fascinated eyes. Jiraiya grinned and vanished in a plume of smoke, reappearing by a tree across the clearing from Hinata. With a simple thrust of his palm he drove the orb into the tree trunk. Naruto had expected some violent explosion, or at least something more devastating. But what happened was even more impressive, if not as dramatic as he had imagined. The rapidly rotating chakra bored smoothly into the tree, turning the dense wood to dust. It took only a second to pass completely through trunk, which must have been at least half a meter thick.

"Whoa . . ." Naruto breathed, staring at hole. He looked down at the water balloon, then back up at Jiraiya. When the old man's hand drew back the Rasengan was still there, and only after he smirked back at Naruto did the sphere diminish.

"Get it now?" Jiraiya asked, meandering back to the center of the clearing.

"Yeah, that was . . . Incredible." He paused for a moment, shaking his head and looking to the balloon in his hand again. "So I need to use my chakra to move the water around in a bunch of different directions at the same time, right?" The Sage blinked down at Naruto, very clearly surprised.

"Yes, exactly right. How'd you figure that out so quickly?" Naruto shrugged, and then took on a thoughtful expression.

"Well, when you first made it, it looked like the chakra was . . . Uh . . . It was . . ."

"Coalescing?" Hinata offered, her tentative tone carrying from nearby. Naruto grinned over at her and nodded.

"Yeah, coalescing, but from a lot of directions at once. It was hard to see after it all came together, but it looked like the chakra was spinning a bunch of different ways." Jiraiya gave Hinata another wink before turning back to Naruto with an approving look.

"I'm glad you were paying attention; that's the principle of the technique. But knowing the way to do it and actually pulling it off are two different things. Here," he said, tossing two more water balloons to Naruto. "From what I've heard you've got a knack for learning new jutsu. I'll leave you some extras just in case you drop that one. The goal is to pop the balloon using only the chakra rotation, got it?" When Naruto nodded excitedly Jiraiya turned with a wave, moving off towards the woods. "I've got more information to gather in town. I'll be back to check on you in a few hours, but–"

_Pop._

Jiraiya stopped in his tracks. He turned around slowly, eyebrows rising as he sighted the remains of the balloon dangling from Naruto's fingers. Hinata was smiling at the boy, and he looked sheepishly pleased with himself.

"Er . . . You're not supposed to squeeze it or anything," Jiraiya started, but Naruto spoke up before he could continue.

"I did it the right way, sensei. Here, look!" He picked up one of the balloons at his feet, his features becoming focused as he raised his hand up. After a second the thin rubber began to quaver, a multitude of tiny bulges covered its surface in rapid succession, and then it exploded. Naruto relaxed and looked to Jiraiya, clearly ecstatic. "See? I did it!"

"I suppose you did . . ." _I didn't expect it to take him long, but to do it that fast . . ._ "How did you know how to do it?"

"Hinata-chan has been helping Sasuke and I with our chakra control for years; she's the best at it." Hinata blushed and looked down, mumbling something indistinct about compliments. Naruto smirked and went on, glowing. "She had us do lots of exercises that were kind of similar; we had to create little twisters in water glasses, we hung stuff from a string and spun it in a circle between us, we played catch once but only used our chakra to catch or throw – I was really bad at it at first – and . . ." Naruto went on for a few more examples before Jiraiya held up his hand to stop him, smiling and shaking his head.

"Alright, alright, I got it." His gaze flickered again to Hinata, a higher degree of respect in his eyes. "Your girlfriend's smart, and extremely talented to have come up with all of that on her own. You're a lucky kid." Both Naruto and Hinata turned a little red, but they were still beaming at one another.

"So what's next, Jiraiya-sensei? Do I get to try the Rasengan?"

"Slow down," he responded, reaching beneath his short green kimono and pulling out a white ball. "You need to master the second part of the training now, and I guarantee this will be more difficult." He tossed the thick rubber ball to his student, who caught and examined it.

"Do I need to do the same thing with this one, only stronger?" Naruto asked, still a little exuberant.

"Yes, and no," Jiraiya said merrily, ruffling the boy's hair and turning away again. "This time you only have your chakra; there's no water to help you. This part tests your power, so don't hesitate to go all out or you won't do it right. Remember: it has to pop, and punctures don't count. There's a whole bag of those by the memorial over there." He walked slowly to make sure the highly unlikely wouldn't occur, and when no loud noise met his ears he grinned and disappeared into the woods.

Naruto set into the new task with as much vigor as the first, but soon found that Jiraiya hadn't been toying with him. His first attempt only caused the ball to shudder and deform a little before it settled back out. _I guess this won't be easy after all._

**_You think?_** the Kyuubi drawled, yawning in his mind. **_He said to go all out, and you barely put anything into that._**

_I was just testing it,_ Naruto glowered, though he smiled reassuringly at Hinata when he saw her peering at him. Then he concentrated, pouring energy into a multi-directional rotation within the ball. Visible chakra rose up around him, flickering like azure flames as he focused harder. In the same fashion as the balloon the sphere began to distend, vibrating violently in his palm. A few seconds later a hole burst through one side, releasing a small stream of chakra and deflating the ball completely.

"Ah crap," he muttered, trotting to the bag and carrying it back to the stumps nearer to Hinata.

"What happened?" Hinata asked, peering at the discarded ball. "Did you use enough chakra?"

"I don't know; I put about as much as I could inside and did the same thing as the balloon, but for some reason it didn't work the same way. Do you think it's different because there isn't any water?"

"Probably," she said slowly, tapping her index finger to her lips thoughtfully. "It did some of the work in creating disruption inside the balloon, at least. This way it's only your chakra, and it looks like the ball is a lot thicker."

"Hmm . . . I guess I'll keep trying and see if I can figure something out. Would you mind helping me, just by watching and seeing if you can see something?" Hinata smiled and nodded.

"Of course I will, Naruto-kun. Did you think I'd just sit here and watch you?" she teased. He laughed, which got her cheeks aglow again. There was just something about Naruto's laugh that made her feel warm inside.

"Why aren't you wearing your jacket today, by the way?" Naruto asked after a moment, blinking down at her curiously. "I don't think I've ever seen you out of it. Well, except that one time when I didn't know you were in the washroom . . ." He trailed off, flushing at the recollection. He had been silently grateful, at least, that she had been almost done getting dressed. Hinata shared his blush and began her response tentatively, chewing absently at her lower lip during the longer pauses.

"Ano . . . It was warm today, a-and I felt comfortable without it . . ." She looked down, suddenly very self-conscious. She had taken to wearing the heavy coat years ago, in part because it hid the bruises of her father's training. It had also helped hide her body in general; Hinata had been insecure about her figure ever since the other girls in class started talking about such things. When she was eleven Ino had made a comment about her physique, insinuating that 'a pencil had more curves' than she did. The memory had stuck with her ever since.

"Oh, well," Naruto started awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his neck and turning a bit more red. "I think you look nice without it on, too. You shouldn't wear it all the time if it's uncomfortable." Hinata looked back up at him, momentarily taken aback by his assertion. It was the closest thing to a compliment on her body that she'd ever heard, and coming from Naruto . . .

"P-pardon?" she asked, not sure what to think. Naruto's deepening blush only confirmed his honesty.

"I mean, if you like the jacket you could keep it too. I was just saying that – well, I mean I like seeing more of you. No wait – that's not what I meant!" he said quickly, fumbling with his words and feeling like he was only digging a deeper hole. Finally he turned around, too embarrassed to face her. "I mean you're pretty no matter what you wear, Hinata-chan!" Before the stunned girl could even think to get a word out Naruto was jogging back into the clearing. Hinata could have sworn that his ears were trailing steam as he ran off.

Naruto returned to his training zealously, determined to work out the secret before Jiraiya returned, and also to work off the minor dose of adrenaline from the conversation with Hinata. She sat nearby and observed, trying to calm down and process what had just happened. After a time she refocused, putting in suggestions and trying to figure out the technique from afar, but it wasn't the only thing trying to work itself out in her mind.

_Those two work well together. And they're so damn cute; it almost hurts. _Jiraiya chuckled quietly to himself as he left his hiding place, finally making his way towards the bath house. _Naruto definitely inherited his father's talent, and his mother's heart._

* * *

/*\

* * *

The casual onlooker might describe Sasuke's movement as unobservable, but Kakashi was not the average spectator. He followed his student's movements closely, at times having to raise his hitai-ate to watch with his Sharingan. Haku had been bombarding Sasuke with ice shards for well over an hour now, and the Uchiha had yet to be struck. His eyes raced around within the confines of the technique, and he moved with such fluidity and speed that every action was a blur. Sasuke never stopped moving, but Kakashi could tell that he was getting tired. _Only a few more minutes._

It was in the final thirty seconds of his two hour goal that Sasuke finally slipped up. He ended a series of back handsprings on a spot of melting ice, losing his footing and beginning to fall backwards. He ground his teeth and let out an aggravated growl. The nearest shards were only a meter away, with more coming from several other mirrors further off. _Like hell I'm losing here._ Rather than attempt to correct his misstep Sasuke gathered his remaining chakra, twisting and forcing as much as he could into his palms. He caught himself in a pushup position with the flying needles hardly half a meter from him. In the fraction of a second remaining he kicked his feet up and pushed hard with his arms, rocketing skyward. His feet hit the overhead panel with enough force to make it crack, and he rebounded off to the side an instant later. Sasuke tumbled to his feet, his breath ragged, but there was a clear triumphant gleam in his eyes.

The jutsu abruptly ceased, and all but one of the mirrors shattered and fell to the ground. Haku slowly emerged from the final pane, seeming to struggle free rather than step easily away as he normally might have. Sasuke rushed forward and caught the other boy before he fell, easing him to the ground.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," Haku said with a weak smile, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry . . . I'm just a little tired. I've never had to do it for that long without a break in between."

"Well done," Kakashi remarked as he approached, giving Haku an approving nod as well. "It's time to start your real training now. Haku, you'll have a few days off to recuperate. You'll be able to help again later on." The exhausted youth had already fallen asleep.

"Can I get a few minutes to catch my breath?" Sasuke sighed, standing and stretching slowly. "I've been at this for a week now."

"You only have two weeks left until the exam since you spent so much time at the hospital." Sasuke scowled, but Kakashi smirked and shrugged in a conciliatory manner. "But that was necessary, I suppose. Now we're in a time crunch, though, and you have to master the Chidori quickly. And when you're too low on chakra to attempt the technique, like right now, we'll do other training." The jounin stepped over to a large black duffle bag by his own bedroll, withdrawing a pair of weapons and tossing them to Sasuke.

"Weapons training?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the two blades in his hands. They were both of plain but sturdy make, worn with use but no less sharp for it. The longer of the two was a medium-length straight katana with a jagged point rather than the traditional curved end. The smaller weapon was a wakizashi fashioned in an identical style.

"You've shown a lot of promise with swordplay, and this combination in particular you excel with. As I've said, being able to use all ninja tools is important, but you should have a handful that you truly master. Hinata seems to be getting pretty good with those inverted daggers that Tenten gave her; the only person I've ever seen master those is Asuma. Bukijutsu isn't Naruto's forte, but he's still trying to find his preferred weapon. Do you have another that you'd rather use?" Kakashi watched as Sasuke considered his inquiry, but as expected the boy shook his head. He held the longer of the two in his right hand, and in his left the shorter blade was flipped with blunt edge running parallel with his forearm.

"I'd already decided on these," Sasuke shrugged. "I just wasn't expecting to focus on weapon training out here."

"Your first match is against Gaara, remember? I detailed Lee's encounter with him, so you know just how well he can defend against taijutsu. The speed training you've been undertaking combined with the Chidori will be enough to get through his defenses, but it wouldn't hurt to have something else in your arsenal." Sasuke couldn't argue with that. While he didn't have the chakra for much else, he could definitely do some sparring. His sensei didn't allow him any time to consider if he was up for it, however.

The only thing that allowed Sasuke to deflect Kakashi's kunai was his Sharingan, and even with it still active he had barely seen his teacher move. Without any warning Kakashi was upon him, wielding a single kunai and holding his other arm behind his back. Even with the handicap – and without his Sharingan – the jounin was nigh impossible to keep up with. It took every bit of dexterity Sasuke possessed to defend against the assault.

It was just after noon when Kakashi called a halt, allowing his battered student to collapse gratefully on the nearest clear patch of ground. "We'll break for a few hours to eat and rest so that you can replenish your chakra; your first lesson with the Chidori will come later." He sat down cross-legged, eyeing Sasuke flatly. The boy's eyes were closed against the harsh sunlight above, and his breathing was only just beginning to return to normal. "Lunch is whenever you bring something back for us." Sasuke scowled but didn't get up, instead lifting his hands to form the tiger seal.

"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu," he mumbled, and a second later another Sasuke bounded off and down into the ravine that their rock pillar towered above. He opened one eye to catch Kakashi's disapproving look, but only smirked and closed it again. "I'm still getting it, just without moving. There's always a rabbit down there somewhere; I think the clone will be fine against a rodent." Kakashi smiled wryly back at him and shrugged. _That's what you get for using water clones so often when we spar, sensei._

An hour later they were relaxing against a small rock outcropping, discussing Gaara's abilities in depth. Sasuke had woken Haku briefly to let him eat, but his friend was once again fast asleep.

"Although," Kakashi paused, in the middle of picking apart the ability Gaara used to create the shell of sand that covered his skin. "We could always just ask him how much chakra it consumes." Sasuke blinked over at him curiously, then narrowed his eyes and was on his feet in a flash. "It's not polite to sneak around. What do you want, Gaara of the Sand?"

The jinchuuriki stepped slowly from behind a boulder. His arms were crossed, and his features were as impassive as ever. The killing intent emanating from the boy was enough to send a chill down Sasuke's spine. Gaara acted like Kakashi wasn't there, simply staring at Sasuke.

"I came to observe," he began calmly. "And to get your word that you will be at the final portion of the Chuunin Exam."

"Why wouldn't I be there?" Sasuke asked warily, relaxing his stance. Despite the murderous aura Gaara didn't appear to be interested in fighting. "Did you expect me to run away?"

"Yes," Gaara responded flatly. He didn't appear to be joking. "But you seem determined to fight. That's good. I've wanted to kill you since I first saw you, Uchiha Sasuke."

"After hearing about what you tried to do to Lee, I can say that the feeling is mutual. But I'm not about to let you spy on my training. Go back to Konoha and be patient; I promise I'll be there to kick your ass in two weeks."

"I look forward to that day." The small smile that Gaara offered was one of the most disturbing things Sasuke had ever seen. Without another word the Suna-nin vanished in a whirlwind of sand, leaving a fairly annoyed pair in his wake.

"That seemed like a waste of his time," Sasuke muttered, slumping back down as he felt Gaara's chakra fade away. "Does he not have training of his own to do? His attitude pisses me off."

"I believe I told you that overconfidence is one of his weak points," Kakashi chided, though he didn't sound any more excited about the other boy showing up. "He truly intends to kill you, Sasuke. If he came all the way out here just to make sure that you'd show up for the exam, you can bet on it."

"Didn't you say that my speed is nearing Lee's now? I shouldn't have a problem beating him if I can outrun the sand and get a Chidori strike off."

"That's if you can master it in such a short time period. I know your chakra control and capacity are good enough, but being able to push that much energy into your hand takes immense concentration. In theory it's not difficult to learn; I expect you to have it formed in days, if not hours. But as I've explained, you _can not_ overuse it or you risk dying." Kakashi waited for Sasuke to nod before he continued. "You probably have enough chakra for one or two attempts now, so let's get started. Tomorrow we'll figure out how many you can manage per day."

Sasuke pushed himself up, and despite his casual demeanor he was excited. By Kakashi's own admission the Chidori was his only original technique, and its significant drawbacks could be counteracted by the Sharingan. It was the perfect ability for an Uchiha.

"I'll show you once. I can only use it a few times per day, so pay attention to my chakra flow." Sasuke nodded and focused his eyes on Kakashi. His sensei took a few steps back and lowered his left hand, bringing his right over to grip it at the wrist. For a few seconds nothing happened, but then Sasuke saw huge amounts of chakra surging towards Kakashi's left palm, gathering there and building until its intensity nearly forced him to look away. Pure electricity crackled in Kakashi's hand, sending continuous arcs of blinding blue light spiking in every direction. It was the most chakra Sasuke had ever seen concentrated in such a small area.

"This is the Chidori," Kakashi continued, straightening and extending his arm, as if Sasuke wasn't able to see it already. "There are only a few things this can't cut through, and those there's the Raikiri. That, however, you'll need more chakra to be able to handle."

"But it's only used as a thrust?" Sasuke questioned. "I mean, I know that with my speed and the Sharingan it won't be difficult to land on the average opponent. I was expecting it to be a little more versatile."

"It's one of thousands of ninjutsu; do you expect every one to have multiple uses?" Sasuke shrugged, and Kakashi allowed himself a small smirk. "If your control gets good enough you can do a few other things with it, like imbuing projectiles. But stick with the basics for now; I think this will be enough." As if to emphasize his point he turned, dashing forward and plunging his palm towards the rock face that Sasuke had been leaning on. The white-hot chakra simply melted into the stone, and cracks formed all around the impact point. Kakashi withdrew his hand as the technique faded and died, leaving behind a grooved hole half a meter deep. "I invented the Chidori to serve as a fool-proof assassination technique. With the Sharingan active you can move at high speeds and still be wary of your surroundings and react appropriately. However, in order to avoid complications I would only use it when your opponent is unable to move. There are no rules in the final round fights, so you are allowed to kill Gaara if you must. But I trust you'll use your judgement when it comes to that."

"If he intends to see me dead, I won't hold back," Sasuke said simply, glancing again at the half-melted indentation. "I have a bad feeling about him, though. I don't think I'll lose, but then again if he's anything like Naruto and capable of using his bijuu's chakra . . ."

"Then you should give up immediately," Kakashi finished for him. Sasuke grimaced and shook his head, prompting his teacher to go on. "Sasuke, at your current level you can likely keep up with Naruto when he has the Kyuubi's chakra active. But remember what he said, too: Gaara is the Ichibi's tool. There's no telling what he's capable of if he's not the one in control."

"I know that, but wouldn't the match be stopped if things got bad anyway?"

"That's not guaranteed; think about it. How many people even know what a jinchuuriki's power looks like? Most in our village will be familiar with the Kyuubi's chakra if Naruto uses it against Neji, but not necessarily another tailed beast's. The chakra might be strong and even malevolent, but if the Demon Fox can be trusted then it could be mistaken for Gaara's own ability."

"Good point, I guess," Sasuke sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I'll do whatever I can to win," he said. As Kakashi's eyebrow rose expectantly he concluded with a resigned, solemn promise. "And I'll make sure to give up if I think it's too dangerous." Every fiber of his being protested the statement; this was an opportunity to fight a strong adversary, possibly to the death. Exam or not, this was a chance to test himself in real combat. He wouldn't surrender unless it was the last available course of action.

"Now that we got that out of the way, it's time for a change of clothes." It was Sasuke's turn to raise an eyebrow as Kakashi stepped over to the duffle, rummaging through it until he found what he was looking for. "Here, I had these made for you in preparation for this technique. It's time for a change of wardrobe anyway." He tossed a black bundle over to his student, then turned towards the edge of the cliff. "I'm going to climb while you change; you have ten minutes, give or take." Without pausing to make sure Sasuke had heard he leapt over the edge, plummeting out of sight.

"There's nothing wrong with my clothes," Sasuke muttered, though he quickly realized Kakashi's intent when he unfolded the garments. They were largely the same as his own, but made of a thicker material. There was a new pair of black rubber tabi wrapped inside, along with four long, thick rubber cords. Kakashi had been considerate enough to get the high-collared shirt embroidered with the Uchiha clan symbol as well. "I guess there's nothing wrong with these either."

It took him a few short minutes to change, though after he had finished the four cords were still lying on the ground. He smirked slightly as he realized their purpose, picking them up one by one and wrapping one around each of his limbs. When he was finished he checked the bands, one spiraling up each forearm and one binding each lower leg to his footwear. _Leave it to Kakashi to work in safety precautions and make them stylish._

"Done?" Kakashi grunted, landing just after pulling himself over a nearby ledge. Perspiration shimmered on his brow, and his breathing was slightly labored. Sasuke was going to ask what he had been doing when he heard ropes snapping, and Kakashi brought his other arm from behind his back, flexing his wrist. He had climbed the entire way up with one arm – without using chakra.

"Yeah," Sasuke replied with a small, disbelieving laugh. Kakashi's climb seemed like something Gai would have attempted; sometimes it wasn't hard to see why they got along.

"Good. Then let's get started."

* * *

/*\

* * *

"Ugh," Naruto groaned, collapsing next to Hinata. "I've been at this all day and I still can't figure out why it won't work. It just keeps making one or two holes and that's it." Hinata was wearing a sympathetic expression as she laid a hand on his arm, smiling encouragingly.

"It took the Fourth years to develop that technique, Naruto-kun. I'm sure you'll get it with some more practice; it's not fair to yourself to expect to learn it so quickly."

"I know," he sighed, "I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong."

**_I don't think you're concentrating your chakra right. _**Naruto blinked, then flashed Hinata a quick smile before turning inward to address the fox.

_What do you mean? I'm doing exactly what Jiraiya said to do, right?_

**_Yes and no. It's just an idea, but you're probably not focusing the chakra well enough. Do you remember what his Rasengan looked like? _**Naruto pictured the sphere in his mind, then nodded. **_What do you see?_**

_The Rasengan, _he replied with a wry smirk, eliciting an annoyed growl from the Kyuubi. _Lots of blue chakra, with some white and yellow mixed in I guess. It's rotating really fast in lots of directions. What else am I supposed to see?_

**_The colors are the important parts. Ask her about it._**

_Ah . . . Okay. Why can't you just tell me? _As expected the fox remained smugly silent. "The Kyuubi thinks that the color was important," he started aloud, holding up his right hand. It was shaking a little, and there were small scorch marks around his palm. The Rasengan took an immense amount of chakra to form, and this step especially required him to use a lot of it in one place. "All I remember was that it was kind of white in the middle, and sorta blue with tiny flecks of yellow on the outside. What do you think?"

"Well," Hinata said pensively, "It probably means that there's more chakra concentrated in the center, and it lessens as you get further out. But you knew that already." He blinked again and looked down at his hand.

"I've been putting all of the chakra inside the ball, yeah, but I wasn't really thinking about putting it all in one place. Just . . . Inside somewhere." It was Hinata's turn to look surprised, but she quickly recovered and flushed slightly.

"I'm sorry; I should have said something sooner . . ." Naruto glanced over and grinned, flipping his hand over and covering hers with a soft squeeze.

"It's not your fault; I should've figured it out sooner," he laughed. As always his good humor was infectious, and before she knew it she was smiling back at him. "So I should try to put it all into a smaller point at the center of the ball, then?" She nodded, looking off towards the bag that Jiraiya had left that morning. Naruto had already gone through most of them, leaving only half a dozen remaining. "What'll that do exactly?"

"I'm not sure, but the more chakra you concentrate into that point the stronger it should be when you release it. Be careful," she added, turning her gaze worriedly back to his hand. "You've already hurt yourself a few times, and even you can run out of chakra."

"I will be," Naruto promised. "Thanks, Hinata-chan." He grinned and gave her hand another squeeze before jumping back to his feet and hurrying to the bag. He lifted the white ball, sparing a glance for the scores scattered around the clearing in various tattered states. As he had done every time, he turned towards Hinata so she could see clearly, nodded to her once, then focused.

The familiar blue glow of chakra surrounded him as he pushed energy into the sphere, trying his best to force it all to the center. Naruto could tell something was different this time. The ball began to quake violently, and he had to hold on tight to keep it in his palm. He kept pouring chakra into it until he was straining to give it even a sliver more. _Now._ All at once, directed by the image of rotation in his mind's eye, the chakra exploded inside of the ball. In an uncontrolled torrent it lashed out at the rubber walls, and before Naruto could even think to stop it the chakra shredded through the ball and exploded in his palm. He yelped and flew backwards with the force of the detonation, hitting the center post with a grunt and falling to the ground.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called anxiously, wincing as she struggled to her feet.

"I'm fine," he coughed, waving towards her and rolling to his back. "Just winded; don't get up." Despite his wheezing he looked ecstatic. Hinata was still worried as she sank back down, though she was glad no real harm had come to him. It never ceased to amaze her how Naruto always thought of her condition and needs over his own, even after getting blasted across a clearing.

"Come here when you can," she said tersely. Somebody had to be concerned about his potential injuries, and she knew that he wouldn't be. Her tone sobered Naruto's expression to a small grin; she'd be upset if he didn't let her mend the bruise he could feel spreading across the small of his back. He kicked his legs up and used the momentum to propel himself to a standing position, wincing slightly as the bruised muscles flexed. Naruto trotted to the tree, still beaming. Hinata smiled back, though she waited patiently until he sat down in front of her.

"You were right," he said cheerily, trying not to notice how her hands felt as they slid under his coat and pressed gingerly against his back to begin healing. "I just had to put more chakra in a smaller area, then it sorta . . . blew up, I guess. I didn't expect it to be that violent, though."

"How much chakra did you put into it?" Hinata asked, doing her best to ignore the toned muscles she was touching.

"I dunno," Naruto responded truthfully, thinking about it. "It took a lot of chakra I know, and my hand hurts like hell now. Probably a third of what I had left." It took her a moment to try to work out the rough math, but she shook her head and activated her Byakugan instead. It was much easier to judge his current capacity by looking. Her sharp intake of breath told him something was wrong. "What's up?"

"Naruto-kun, your . . . Well, I've never seen your chakra so low before, except for when you went unconscious after summoning too many clones. You obviously have more than that, but not much." Naruto looked over his shoulder at her and blinked a few times, then shrugged.

"I feel okay, but I don't think I should be trying that again today." Hinata was taken aback by his admission, but incredibly relieved that he had decided it for himself. She had been on the verge of asking him to take the rest of the day off. "I don't want to push myself too hard and not be able to train tomorrow, right?"

"Right," Hinata agreed, allowing the green glow to fade as she finished. She lowered his jacket and stared at his back for a moment, disabling her Byakugan. The blue currents of Naruto's chakra circulatory system were replaced by the black of his coat, and before she could argue with the impulse she slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him from behind.

Naruto tensed for only a second before moving his hand down to take one of hers. Hinata had been doing things like that lately, and while he didn't know where the newfound spontaneity was coming from he had gotten used to it. Besides, how could he argue with a hug from Hinata? "You okay?" he asked after a moment, lacing his fingers between hers.

"I'm fine," she said quietly into his back, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "Just thinking."

"About what?" The question was innocent enough, but she hesitated in answering. There were a lot of things on her mind. Tenten had visited her in the hospital almost every day, and while the majority of their conversations were light and enjoyable, occasionally they touched on more serious topics. At the moment she was reflecting on their first talk. Hinata had assured Tenten that she would tell Naruto after the final exam, but she felt uneasy about it for some reason. Perhaps taking her friend's advice and telling him sooner would be best.

"Naruto-kun?" she began, loosening her hold on him a little so that she could rest her forehead between his shoulder blades. "How . . ." Her heart rate spiked noticeably, and she could feel the heat rising in her chest. It was only a few words; she just had to get them out. "W-what do you think about . . . us?"

"Us?" Naruto queried. The pink spreading across his face would have told Hinata that he had an idea of what she was talking about if she could have seen it. "What do you mean?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. This was it. She could do it. _Just say it. Tell him; you might not get a chance later,_ she told herself firmly. Hinata had opened her mouth to speak, but before she could start the most inappropriately timed plume of smoke erupted beside them. Naruto leapt to his feet in surprise, and Hinata let out a small, startled gasp. Both of them had been too distracted to notice Jiraiya's approach.

"Not slacking off, are you?" the Sage said crossly, folding his arms as he looked down at Naruto. He blinked a few times when he noticed their expressions, then grinned and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Sorry, sorry! Was I interrupting a tender moment? I can come back-"

"No!" they said together, catching each other's eye and looking away quickly. "Sensei," Naruto continued, gaining back a bit of his enthusiasm. "I finished the second step!"

"Oh?" Jiraiya looked around, frowning towards the pillars. "Where's the ball then?"

"It ah . . . Well it sort of exploded – like it was supposed to, I think. See?" Naruto held up his slightly charred hand – he was still holding the remains of the rubber ball. "Hinata-chan suggested that I should try concentrating the chakra into one spot, and after I tried that it worked no problem. I just put as much chakra as I could into one place and let it go. Is that right?" Jiraiya glanced down at Hinata, who was flushing predictably.

"Aye, that's correct. I take it the rest of these you've just been putting chakra into the whole ball?"

"Yeah, I guess so. The Kyuubi told me that the colors were important, and from that Hinata-chan figured out that the center was a lot whiter because there was more chakra concentrated there. I guess I kind of cheated," he continued sheepishly, scratching at the back of his head. "But it still counts, doesn't it?" To his surprise, Jiraiya laughed.

"Kid, there's no such thing as cheating when it comes to being a shinobi. In order to survive and get stronger you should take all the help you can get. I'm glad Hinata was here to help you, and . . . I guess it's helpful that the Kyuubi contributed." That thought caused him to pause, but he shook off the unease. If the Demon Fox was providing its aid then he couldn't be upset. But he was wary of the bijuu's trickery nonetheless. "Can you do it again so that I can see?" Naruto looked even more embarrassed now, shuffling his feet.

"I sorta used up most of my chakra already, and I don't think I should use any more."

"Use the Kyuubi's chakra," Jiraiya responded easily, winking at him. "This is a good opportunity to prove that you're in control of it, since you'll need to call up quite a bit to make the ball explode again."

**_Go ahead, _**the Kyuubi said lazily before Naruto could ask. **_Maybe he'll finally loosen the damn seal if you don't screw it up._**

_You know how much chakra to put into it, right? I don't want too much or it might blow up worse than last time._ He was a bit disturbed to find that he understood the fox's subsequent growl as an affirmative.

"Alright, I can do that," Naruto responded cheerily, stepping a good distance into the clearing just in case. _Okay, one point at the center. _He retrieved another ball and held it palm-up, and then he focused. A thin haze of orange chakra formed around him instead of the lively blue fire from before, and as he began channeling the chakra it felt quite a bit different as well. The fundamentals were the same, though, and immediately the ball began to twitch and bulge like the other one had. Naruto was forced to tone down the Kyuubi's chakra, else the result would have been much stronger than the last time. _Center. Just at the center._ The chakra gathered quickly, and before long his hand began to tremble and ache with the strain. _And . . . Release! _The effect wasn't much different this time around, except that when it burst it was a much less violent explosion. When the shreds of rubber cleared out of the way, however, the blast of chakra was very clearly dark red mixed with a deep violet rather than the earlier blue.

**_Get that stupid look off of your face; how many times have I told you that my chakra is stronger than yours? And how many damn times do you have to use it to augment your ninjutsu before you'll get it into your thick head that it makes your abilities more powerful?_**

_It usually doesn't change the colors,_ Naruto retorted, scowling.

**_Do you use any other techniques that concentrate huge amounts of chakra in one place? _**the Kyuubi ventured sarcastically.

_One of these days I'm going to figure out how to punch your damn face inside my head._

"Well done!" Jiraiya beamed, clapping Naruto across the shoulders and making him stumble forward. "But the last step is the hardest, as I've already told you. Combining both the first and second lessons together won't be easy no matter how much you've practiced chakra control, and no matter how much chakra you put into it." He smirked as Naruto straightened and turned to him with a triumphant smile, but his features also appeared a little tight and touched with fatigue. "That's enough for today, though; even if you use the Kyuubi's chakra, your own is too depleted to do much more right now. Take the rest of the day off, and get some rest." The boy's lips parted to protest, but he glanced at Hinata and changed his mind.

"Yes, sensei," he said instead, bowing before heading over to help Hinata to her feet. Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow at his new student's rush, but only chuckled and turned to go back to the hot springs to do more . . . researching.

"Did you still want to go shopping?" Naruto asked as Hinata took his arm for support. "We can wait a few more days if you need more rest."

"I'm alright to walk around," she insisted, giving his arm a light squeeze. "Besides I . . . I want to get some new clothes." A blush rose steadily on her cheeks as she recalled his remarks from the other day. "I think I've grown out of my old ones." _In more ways than one._

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* * *

"The owner says they close in half an hour," Naruto called through the dressing area's curtain. "So you've got plenty of time to try everything on, don't worry." He didn't feel like it was a good idea to share the dirty looks he had received when going to ask about how long the store was open.

"O-okay," Hinata said from the other side. Her voice sounded small and a little nervous. Clothes and accessories lay in neat piles around her, including everything from various sashes to different designs of chainmail. She pressed her fingers together, unable to think of much beyond the fact that Naruto was standing only a meter or two away from her while she stood in her undergarments.

"You can always start with your favorite colors," Naruto suggested. That snapped her out of her reverie, summoning a blush and a quick nod at nothing in particular. She began separating things out, setting aside lavender and crème-colored items to try on. "That's the fun of looking for clothes, I think," he started again, sounding thoughtful. "You get to pick stuff you like instead of stuff you need, like ninja tools. Except the chain stuff; I'm not letting you get away with not adding that to everything." He laughed, though Hinata knew that he meant it regardless.

"I'll make sure to get some." She took a deep breath, deciding to just start trying things on and seeing where it led.

A few minutes later the curtains rustled and Naruto straightened, watching the cloth pull back anxiously. _Why am I nervous?_ he pondered, dismissing the thought as soon as Hinata stepped into the open.

By and large the clothes she had chosen were similar to her old ones, though there were a few notable changes. Her capris were shorter, coming just past the knee, and they looked to be a darker shade of blue. Her jacket had been replaced by a different kind of coat; this one was slimmer and longer than the old one. The whole of the torso and the cuffs were purple, while the sleeves and loose hood were white. The jacket's zipper was down far enough to show the collar of a chain vest, underneath which she wore a simple black t-shirt.

"What do you think?" she asked diffidently, fidgeting with the hem of the coat.

"I'm kind of useless here, I think," Naruto laughed abashedly. "I'll probably just say you look good in everything." Hinata smiled faintly, but continued fretting until he continued. "You really like those jackets, huh?"

"N-not really," she said defensively, forcing her hands to settle. "I'm just . . . used to it, I guess." Naruto tilted his head to the side, folding his arms and studying her. Hinata wanted to squirm under his scrutiny but she forced herself to stay very still instead.

"Well, if you don't like it you shouldn't wear it," he stated matter-of-factly. "Or you can just get it and wear it when it's colder or something. I mean, I usually don't wear my coat on hot days, and it is getting to the warmer part of summer." Hinata nodded slowly, looking down at the jacket pensively.

"Let me try something else." Before he could lean back again she had disappeared behind the curtain, renewing the sounds of stirring fabric and the clinking of chainmail. Naruto's comment had sparked bit of inspiration, and she _was_ only clinging to the jackets out of habit. _New clothes for a new me_, she told herself determinedly.

When she emerged again Naruto's jaw nearly hit the floor. In her fervor it seemed that she had gone a bit over the top with the new outfit. Her dark leggings – while not quite as tight as the ones Sakura usually favored – hung very close to her skin and extended almost to her knees. She was tugging self-consciously at a short beige skirt that ran from just above her hips down to mid-thigh, with a purely aesthetic, thin leather belt hanging at an angle over it. What took Naruto by surprise the most was that the arm she was using to tug at the skirt was passing over her bare midriff. The attire was completed by a cutoff chain tank top, which was mostly covered by a deep indigo top of similar design. Her shoulders and arms were left bare, something else that Naruto couldn't overlook.

"Uh . . ." he began eloquently. "You ah . . . Well you . . ." He couldn't seem to get the right words out. Even if he knew why his face was burning it would have been hard to phrase. "You look . . . Great. How do you like it?"

It was then that Hinata spotted herself in the mirror and realized the error she had made in her earnest. She suddenly felt very lightheaded and visibly paled before turning the approximate shade of a ripe tomato. Naruto was pretty sure that even Kakashi couldn't have moved faster than Hinata did when she tore behind the curtain again.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" she squeaked, sliding miserably down the wall of the dressing room. She had never been so embarrassed in her life. _I can't believe I just went out there dressed so . . . so indecently._

"Er, Hinata-chan?" Naruto ventured carefully, "I don't know why you're apologizing, but I didn't mean to hurt your feelings if I did. I was just . . . surprised. You really do look great, but . . ." She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in her arms, hugging tightly at her legs, waiting for him to say what had to be coming. "I don't think that look is really . . . 'you', you know? I think if you want a little more . . . Er . . ."

**_Breathability, _**the fox chortled, clearly amused.

"Breathability," he inserted, flushing again, "That outfit would be perfect. But maybe cover your waist with some flexible chainmail and a comfortable undershirt? It's up to you, though, of course," he finished lamely, twiddling his thumbs just outside.

That was not what she had been expecting. Hinata raised her head and glanced furtively at the curtain, biting her lip and thinking. She wanted to show Naruto that she was at least a little different from how she used to be. But he was right about the clothes – she had some modifications to make.

"I-I'll be out again soon," she stammered, standing quickly and scurrying around the small area. She knew that she only had ten or fifteen minutes left, and that they could always return the next day, but Hinata wanted to find something then and there.

Naruto's broad grin met her as she stepped out again, and she returned it with a bashful one of her own. She was wearing the same style of shorts as before, though these were colored a deep violet with the familiar bandages wrapped around her right thigh. A short skirt – light crème in color this time – fell about her hips, complete with a black accent belt. Her waist was now covered with a close-fitting chain mesh, underneath which she wore a simple dark cotton shirt. The top was similar as well, though now a shade similar to her capris and significantly less form-fitting. Her right arm was left bare still, but the left now had a white cuff about the wrist with a buckle strapped around it; an identical article encircled her upper arm, and between it and her wrist she had woven bandages the same color as her skirt. Her hitai-ate hung around her neck as usual, and her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, hanging down to just between her shoulder blades.

"You look incredible, Hinata-chan. That's more like you, don't you think?" She flushed but kept an appreciative smile, moving away from the curtain to stand next to him in front of the mirror.

"Yeah . . . I think so." Hinata stared at herself in the mirror, intrigued far more than she meant to be. Naruto had been telling the truth when he had mentioned never seeing her without the coat on; she wasn't even used to seeing herself without it. The new attire didn't hide her body, but it didn't emphasize it too much either. She didn't want to flaunt her figure by any means, but the feeling of being out of her old clothes and into ones she had chosen with Naruto was . . . Liberating.

"Closing in five minutes!" the clerk barked from the front, making them both jump. They shared a glance, and then Hinata broke out into a fit of giggles. Her merriment was contagious and got Naruto laughing almost immediately as well, and for a full minute the pair fought to control the sudden bout of giddiness.

"We should get going," Hinata said breathlessly at last, leaning on the wall. Naruto – still chuckling a little – voiced his agreement and moved to let her take his arm. She accepted his support gratefully, holding on tighter than she might have normally.

It was both terrifying and exhilarating to leave the store in her new outfit, but Naruto's presence assuaged the majority of her fears and allowed her to bask in her newfound freedom. It had been her choice, and with Naruto's help she had conquered a small part of her past. _Just by changing some clothes,_ she thought wonderingly as they neared Iruka's apartment. But that wasn't what had done it; her clothes were only a symbol of her resolve. Hinata knew where her confidence had stemmed from, and where it continued to build every day.

_Thank you, Naruto-kun._

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The two weeks leading up to the final exam seemed to fly by. Sasuke returned with Kakashi the day before, and they were both dumbstruck upon seeing Hinata again. After the initial shock passed they got back to their usual banter; Sasuke and Naruto traded stories about training, though neither of them gave any specifics on what they had learned. They both knew too well that – in all likelihood – they would be fighting one another in the second round.

Hinata had recovered fully the week prior to the exam and had been able to start training again, though the majority of it was spent regaining the flexibility she had lost during rehabilitation. She had joined Jiraiya and Naruto when she was able to, helping out as much as she could. A few hours every day had been spent with Tenten, both honing her weapon skills and just enjoying her friend's company.

On the day of the exam they all met with Kakashi at Ichiraku's for breakfast. Naruto had invited Jiraiya along as well, but the Sage had only given him a confusing answer about a 'free spa day'.

"My treat," Kakashi said mildly. Naruto let cheer and immediately called his order to Teuchi, eliciting a laugh from the old man and his daughter Ayame. His friends and sensei requested their meals afterwards, and then an unexpected voice spoke up as well.

"I'll take a bowl of miso ramen," Jiraiya muttered, settling onto the stool beside Kakashi. He gave the jounin a lopsided grin. "You can treat me too, right Kakashi?"

"The younger generation needs to respect its elderly, after all," Kakashi said placidly. The older shinobi grumbled about respect and manners but quickly fell quiet as he watched the three genin. The silver-haired jounin followed his gaze and smirked, shaking his head at his team. "Remind you of something?" Kakashi asked quietly. Jiraiya smiled faintly, his eyes lingering for a moment on Sasuke.

"I hope not," he said somberly, sighing and shaking his head as well. "But in a lot of ways . . . yes."

A while later the trio stood to leave, though they cast Kakashi questioning glances before departing. "I'll catch up," he assured them, nodding towards the arena that loomed over the buildings to the northeast. "Naruto, Sasuke: head to the main floor and onto the stadium grounds. You'll be meeting the other genin there with Genma. Hinata, I'll meet you in Section B; Lee and Tenten should be there with Gai." They all nodded, sharing a grin before heading out.

"He's a lot like Minato," Jiraiya said quietly. Kakashi only nodded, watching as his students made their way down the street. "And from what I've seen the little Hyuuga is incredibly talented; she possesses the chakra control of someone far beyond her age and experience, and she's way too smart. With that genius Uchiha in there as well . . . You're one lucky instructor."

"I am indeed," Kakashi agreed. Jiraiya eyed him for a moment before turning his gaze towards Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke.

"Tsunade and I were lucky to have Sarutobi-sensei, just as those three are lucky to have you." The younger man glanced at him wryly, pretending he hadn't noticed Orochimaru's omission.

"You're starting to sound like the Hokage now," he remarked, though he paused before continuing. "But thank you, Jiraiya-sama." He went back to watching his team then. Naruto and Hinata were holding hands now, and the blond was talking excitedly to both her and Sasuke. Kakashi allowed himself a small smile.

_Perhaps we're lucky to have each other._

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**Author's Note:**

Heya folks. I hope you've all had a good week. Mine has been significantly less than the best, but I found a great deal of solace in writing this chapter, so there's always that!

Not much to note about this one, except that _YES_, I know I did not cover the latter parts of Naruto or Sasuke's training. It was not an accident, I promise! The only real mention I should make is that with this chapter I am changing the rating to of the fic to 'M'. I don't want to spoil anything with that mention, so all I'll say is that it's for chapters in the future that I've already got planned out.

Thank you to Rhi for, as always, doing all of the real work and editing for me. Thank you to everybody that read, followed, favorited, and especially if you reviewed. Reviews above all else really encourage me to write; those of you that post one almost every chapter have a special place in my heart. [Insert pixel heart here]

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you next time!

- Wes


	16. Assault on Konoha

**Chapter 16 - Assault on Konoha**

"There's only nine," Naruto said, glancing around at the other genin. "Wasn't that Sound guy - Dosu - supposed to be here?"

"He probably got scared and ran away," Ino stated loudly, letting out a laugh that would have displayed her mocking confidence if her voice hadn't cracked halfway through. She coughed, glancing around nervously. Gaara stood nearby, saying nothing. Nobody noticed the corner of his lips twitching in the slightest maniacal smirk, but the surge of killing intent was difficult to ignore.

"Either way, he's not here." Genma stepped before the group, looking bored and clicking the senbon in his mouth against his teeth. "His fight is scheduled last; Yamanaka Ino will receive a bye in the event he does not arrive on time. She will face the winner of the fourth round, either Temari or Nara Shikamaru." Ino paled visibly at that, but Shikamaru only scowled.

"Getting a bye on the first round," he mumbled. "Tsk, can I trade with her?" Genma's only response was a wry smirk at the Nara boy.

"The first match will be Uzumaki Naruto verses Hyuuga Neji. The feudal lords and other guests are still being seated, so expect to begin in fifteen minutes. The rest of the contestants are to move up to the viewing area there," he continued, pointing to a section below the regular stands. It had no seating area, only a tunnel that presumably led up to the stone balcony.

"Good luck," Shikamaru said with a casual wave as he turned. The comment was offered in such a way that he wasn't directing it at either of them, but Naruto knew who he was talking to. The blond grinned and nodded his thanks. Sasuke's hand fell on his shoulder and gripped it hard.

"Kick his ass," he told Naruto bluntly, loud enough that Neji could easily hear. The older boy said nothing, apparently closed off in meditation. They nodded at one another, expressions sober, before Sasuke moved off with the rest of the genin. Only Naruto and Neji remained at the center of the ring now as the din of thousands of voices rose steadily around them. Genma stood a few meters away, scanning the crowd disinterestedly and waiting on the signal from the Hokage's attendant.

"Neji," Naruto said quietly, waiting until his adversary's eyes flickered open before continuing. "I might not get a chance to talk to you later, so I'd like to say this now." Neji's eyes narrowed but he remained silent, waiting. Naruto took a deep breath and held it for a moment before exhaling slowly. "I . . . I can't pretend I'm not angry about what you did to Hinata - and what you _tried_ to do after she was down." A flicker of agitation played across the older boy's features. "But I talked to her about it, and I think I understand a little of why you feel the way you do about her."

"What do you know?" Neji asked contemptuously. "So she told you of the seal placed on branch members? Of how my father was sacrificed for the head family? You think that allows you to understand me?"

"No," Naruto admitted carefully, making sure not to raise his voice despite the bubbling fury. "But I know that you've had a hard life as a branch family member, and I guess I can understand a little of how you feel. You've been treated differently your whole life, and you had somebody precious taken from you unfairly." Neji laughed bitterly, and Naruto almost lost the thin patience he had with the other boy.

"You're an outcast; everybody knows that chuunin only took you in because he felt sorry for you. You've got some talent I'll admit, but compared to a genius like me you're nothing. You're fated to be an average shinobi for the rest of your life."

"I'll be the Hokage one day," Naruto ground out, just about ready to snap. He could take insults thrown at him, but not at Iruka. Neji laughed again, and before he even realized it Naruto was reaching for chakra.

_**Calm down, kid. He's trying to agitate you.**_

_And it's working_. _What am I supposed to do, just let him stand there mocking Iruka-sensei?_

_**Yes, that's exactly what you should do. If he gets a rise out of you, he wins. Just wait for the match to start, idiot.**_ Naruto scowled and took another deep breath, smoothing his features and forcing his rising emotions down.

"Ninjas like the Hokage are born to attain that rank. I hate to tell you, but you have no natural skill, no kekkei genkai, and no potential. Even my pathetic cousin has more talent than you. I should be fighting the Uchiha for a real challenge, not some kid that should have dropped out in the academy."

Genma caught Naruto's wrist when it was a few centimeters from Neji's nose. The Hyuuga hadn't moved or even flinched, now only smirking triumphantly at his opponent. Dust swirled about them from the jounin's movement, and though he still seemed placid he spoke with a deadly calm that made Naruto wince slightly.

"Do you want me to disqualify you before the fight begins?" he asked softly, eyes still on the crowd. A few cheers and shouts were ringing out from the spectators at Naruto's attempted strike. "A shinobi should keep his emotions in check at all times. Weren't you taught that in the academy?" Naruto grimaced and retracted his arm, bowing to Genma.

"I apologize. It won't happen again." The proctor eyed him for a moment before nodding and returning to looking around nonchalantly. Naruto turned back to Neji with a hard expression. "If you recall, Hinata almost beat you. If you consider her pathetic for laying you up in the hospital then you have a really skewed view of strength." Neji blinked, taken aback by what Naruto had – and hadn't – taken offense to. "Say what you want about us, but we're strong. I'll show you just what it takes to become Hokage. I'll show you how to change your own fate." Neji opened his mouth to respond, closed it, and repeated the motion as if searching for the right words.

"I have nothing to say to such foolishness," he said finally, looking away. He looked very tired all of a sudden, and considerably less prideful. Naruto wasn't sure what Neji was playing at, but he didn't press further. He had said what needed to be said. Their match would prove his words true without a doubt.

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Hinata winced when she saw Naruto's attempted strike; she could only imagine what Neji had said to provoke him enough to elicit such a response. She relaxed when he withdrew, relieved that Genma had stepped in and that her friend seemed to have gotten a handle on himself.

"That was close," Kakashi sighed, startling her. A moment before the seat next to her had been vacant, but now her sensei was occupying it as if he had been there the whole time. "He nearly got himself disqualified." Hinata nodded gravely.

"Neji-niisan looks like he's trying to provoke Naruto-kun; I can see it in his eyes."

"You can see that from here?" Tenten asked from her other side, squinting down at the arena floor. "I can hardly make out their expressions."

"You can tell by the way he's standing," Lee put in from beside Tenten. "Neji is looking down on Naruto-kun. It's the same way he looked at me a long time ago." Hinata chewed on her lip pensively, glancing back down at Naruto and Neji.

"I like the new fashion statement." Hinata blinked and looked over at Kakashi in surprise, not sure how to react towards the casual remark. He smirked, though didn't offer any further comments. Gai slapped him on the back and let out a booming laugh. After Kakashi recovered from nearly being knocked over he gave his loud friend a humorless smile.

"Kakashi means that he is proud of you taking charge of your youth! Lee has gone through the same experience, and just look how marvelous he's turned out!" Hinata started to turn a little red as she looked over to Lee, who gave her an exuberant nod and proud thumbs-up. He was out of his hospital clothes and once again clad in his ostentatious jumpsuit, and Hinata had to return his wide grin with a small uneasy smile. Gai leaned over from his seat beside Kakashi, peering at Hinata and rubbing thoughtfully at his chin. "Have you considered adding some green?"

"Her clothes are fine how they are, sensei," Tenten said exasperatedly, though she shared a look with Hinata that got them both giggling lightly. "They really do look good on you," she continued in a whisper, nudging her friend's side. "But I already told you that last week." Hinata smiled and returned the nudge, appreciative of her friend's support. Tenten winked at her just before Genma's voice rose over the crowd. "He must be using some kind of jutsu to make his voice carry like that," she muttered, intrigued that they could hear his normal speaking voice so clearly.

"The first match will begin presently; please find your way to your seat."

"Be safe, and do your best Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered so quietly that Tenten nearly missed it. The older girl smiled and took her hand, giving it a squeeze but saying nothing. They both knew that Tenten couldn't endorse Naruto over Neji, but that wouldn't stop her from supporting her friend. Hinata held on tightly, her eyes locked on the arena floor as she tried to wait patiently. She was nervous not because she was worried that Naruto would lose, but because he might forget his promise. The fact that he had lashed out at Neji only a moment before made her even more anxious. _I trust him; he won't let Neji-niisan get to him again._

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Genma stood a few meters to one side of Naruto and Neji, positioned between them. He looked more annoyed than bored now.

"The match will begin in two minutes. Don't forget that the rules here are the same as in the preliminaries: there are no rules. The fight will end when one of you dies or gives up. But if I say that the match is over, it's over; don't argue with me over it and _do not_ take any further action afterwards. Understand?" The jounin looked at both of them for confirmation, though his gaze lingered on Neji. They both nodded, not taking their eyes from one another. The Hokage's voice rang out from above a moment later, and the buzzing crowd fell silent.

"Honored guests," he started, spreading his arms, "I welcome you to Konohagakure and the Chuunin Selection Exam. We will now begin the main event with the nine contestants that have passed the preliminary round. Please enjoy the matches." The Sandaime afforded the now cheering spectators a small, gracious bow before returning to his seat next to the Kazekage.

"That's our cue," Genma muttered, stepping back another few paces. "Put on a good show, kids." He raised his head to address the crowd then, clicking the senbon against his teeth again before speaking. "The first match will be Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Neji." A mixture of applause, shouts, and jeers met their ears at the announcement; Naruto could make a pretty good guess as to which were for whom. Genma lowered his gaze again and lifted a hand. Neji eased into his jyuken stance, but Naruto didn't move. He just stood there, fists at his sides and eyes hard on his opponent.

_**Remember not to let loose completely on this guy, **_the Kyuubi cautioned. _**The goal is to hold back as much as possible until the later rounds so that you can-**_

_I'm going all out, _Naruto responded flatly. _I don't care if the others find out what I can do. I want Neji to see just how wrong he is about me and Hinata, and I'll beat everyone else even if they do know what I'm capable of._ As expected the fox growled before letting out an exasperated sigh.

_**Don't even think about trying to surpass your limits.**_ Naruto said nothing, and after a moment the Kyuubi's presence receded to the back of his mind.

"Begin!" Genma called, and the crowd roared.

"Let's go," Neji said calmly as his Byakugan activated. "I'll show _you _how helpless you are to the trappings of fate." Naruto stayed where he was, watching his adversary calmly. Neji sighed. "If you're too afraid to move, I'll come to you!" He smiled menacingly before vanishing in a burst of speed.

Naruto was only half concerned with tracking the older boy's movements, mostly focusing carefully on the subtle task at hand: suppressing his gathering chakra. Neji became a blur, whirling in behind him faster than he could follow. Naruto didn't see the palm strike closing in between his shoulder blades, but he didn't care; Neji was within range now.

All at once Naruto released his chakra, along with every bit of fury he had been holding in. The effect was instantaneous. Blue energy roared up around him, extending far above his own head in a torrent of flames. The red cloak of the Kyuubi's chakra stopped Neji's punch cold as it sprang up around Naruto, smoldering angrily against his opponent's bare skin. The explosion of power not only provided a defense against the blow, but it also sent out a minor shockwave that sent the Hyuuga boy skidding back several meters.

The crowd fell completely silent. Naruto turned slowly to face Neji again, his eyes burning red with the Kyuubi's influence. He let his chakra rage for a few seconds longer, making the fox's shroud appear purple for the duration. The azure fire died down again, and Neji didn't miss one of the two tails sinking back into the reddish cloak. Naruto stood facing him again, surrounded by the vermilion chakra with its single tail swishing back and forth restlessly. He lowered slowly into a fighting stance, his voice deadly quiet as he spoke.

"Instructor," he began, a small, fierce grin spreading across his features. "Try to stop the match before he dies." Whether or not he intended to kill Neji was irrelevant. When the older boy heard Naruto address Genma so confidently - using Neji's own taunt, no less - he narrowed his eyes and set his stance again. Naruto was satisfied enough to see that his opponent lacked his usual excessive pride; he wouldn't have had it any other way. There would be no pleasure in victory if Neji acted with the same hubris as he had in his fight with Hinata.

As they clashed Naruto realized two things. The first was that Neji was taking this seriously, putting forth his full effort despite his earlier statements. The second was that Neji's movements were disparate; they were more fluid, and his style had veered slightly from traditional jyuken. Naruto wasn't sure if his show of power had jarred the other boy, but something was very different about the way he fought when compared to the previous month.

_**Looks like he's been training, **_the Kyuubi mused as Naruto deflected a strike. _**I bet your girlfriend put a crack in his nice little picture of the world.**_

_He's gotten faster, I think, and it feels like he's got more chakra._

_**That's enough playing around, then. **_Although the fox referred to what they were doing as 'playing around', the onlookers were in awe at the bout of hand-to-hand combat. At points the two of them became only blurs of color, striking with such force that showers of chakra - both blue and red - burst all around Naruto was only just getting started.

Between one kick and the next Naruto summoned a clone behind himself, using the replacement jutsu a breath later to swap places with it so smoothly that Neji wasn't able to react. He kept the clone between himself and Neji as he flashed through hand seals, shaping his chakra rapidly. _Fuuton: Vacuum Sphere. _Naruto took in a breath, exhaling in several sharp bursts and sending columns of air shooting towards his adversary. The clone didn't let up its assault, dispersing only a fraction of a second before the ability struck. Neji was already starting to spin, however.

The Revolving Heaven technique was just as impressive as when Naruto had last seen it. The dome of chakra created by the technique deflected the jutsu, forcing it off to the side and into the wall of the arena. The stone structure shuddered as the impacts created four sizable craters. As Neji's rotation slowed Naruto was already charging forward, his right arm back and gathering chakra. The hum of thousands of muttering voices started back up as an orb formed in his palm, spiraling in a mix of blue and red energy. When he was only a meter from his opponent he thrust his hand forward, driving the orb directly into Neji's degenerating technique. A bright flash of indigo shone from the point of contact as Naruto roared over the cacophony of the crowd and colliding chakras.

"Rasengan!" The light grew until it became blinding, and Naruto had to wince away from it after a moment. But then he felt the opposing pressure give way slightly, drawing from him a determined growl and a renewed effort to press the Rasengan forward. For a fraction of a second it felt as if Neji had blocked his advance, but all at once the resistance fell. Like a knife through soft wood Naruto drove forward, and right into his waiting adversary.

"Hakke: Sixty-Four Palms!" Unable to stop his forward momentum, Naruto grunted as the first two struck home, and it was then that he saw his mistake. Rather, it was then that he realized Neji's plan. The older genin had been hidden in his whirl of chakra, but with his Byakugan he was still able to see everything outside. By speeding up his rotation just as Naruto's jutsu had come in contact with his own, he had been able to momentarily halt its progression to set up his own technique. The Rasengan had passed within centimeters of Neji's ear, directly over his left shoulder; he had avoided it at the last possible moment. A fine mist of blood shot up around Naruto's hand as the sphere clipped the other boy's shoulder, dissolving clothing and skin alike as it passed. "Four strikes!" Another group of Naruto's tenketsu shut down as he was hit, now stopping his movement and forcing him back a pace.

_**Release it as he strikes next, **_the fox barked, and Naruto had time only to heed his advice and do just that.

"Eight strikes!" Naruto grit his teeth as the first hit his left shoulder, making it go numb. But then he willingly let go of his focus as the Kyuubi had instructed, and Neji was caught by the violently spiraling chakra let loose from the uncontrolled Rasengan. The core of energy unraveled and lashed out in every direction, though with significantly less power than a direct hit. The Hyuuga's technique was cut short and he was thrown back, hitting the ground hard and skidding through the dirt before he could regain his balance.

_**He's not stupid,**_ the Kyuubi commented as Naruto shook his tingling arm. _**It seems he not only trained this past month, but he did some spying too. Unless your girlfriend told him about your new technique.**_

_She wouldn't do that; you know that as well as I do. _If he could have spat the words he would have, but he settled for an annoyed tone instead as he reset his stance.

_**Either way: he knows, and he countered it. What will you do?**_

_He can deflect any ninja tools I use with that spin, and that ninjutsu Jiraiya taught me was pretty strong. If that didn't work, I'll have to rely on taijutsu._

_**Probably, but there's a weakness to his technique that you're not considering.**_

_Yeah? _Naruto asked as Neji sprinted forward to attack. _Kind of busy here; explain fast._

_**Figure it out. **_If he had the time to be frustrated he might have at least cursed at the fox, but instead Naruto was forced to begin trading blows once again, his mind racing.

_It uses a lot of chakra, right? It has to if he's putting out enough to deflect strong ninjutsu. _Silence. He continued, grinding his teeth as he narrowly dodged a palm strike. _And he has to stay still when he does it. Right?_

_**Mostly. You had the right idea attacking when he was slowing down, but it's time you started using your **__**–**__** and my **__**–**__** large chakra reserves to your advantage.**_

_He'll tire out before me, _Naruto realized in the middle of a sweeping hook kick. _I'll just keep using a lot of ninjutsu and throwing weapons._

_**Have to start somewhere.**_

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he yelled a moment later as he leapt back. Shuriken flew from every direction as dozens of clones materialized around Neji, but he didn't miss a beat. The Hyuuga twisted and spun, keeping track of every weapon as he maneuvered among them. Naruto's bunshin let loose a round of kunai following quickly on the heels of the shuriken, and it was the added pressure that forced Neji to use his Revolving Heaven once again.

"Any ninjutsu or spare weapons you can throw!" Naruto ordered. He was answered by a round of enthusiastic shouts and more shuriken. A few clones carefully performed various techniques, taking time with the hand seals and chakra balance in order to waste as little as possible. Jets of water, barrages of wind, and even a few stray fireballs tore through the air to bombard Neji, combining at the center of the arena in a chaotic display of the elements.

_**That might have been a bit overboard, kid, **_the Kyuubi mused, though the lack of an insult was encouraging on its own. Naruto felt noticeably drained by the effort, but it didn't stop him from smirking.

_I can feel Neji's chakra; he's having to spend more than me to keep that up. Well . . . Relatively more. I think._

Clones began dispersing as they reached their limits. Those that remained were the ones that had only emptied their physical arsenal and neglected to perform any ninja techniques. Scorch marks covered the ground around Neji's still spinning form, the area completely scoured down to the foundation. Torrents of steam rose all around from the mix of jutsu, momentarily obscuring Naruto's opponent as he finally slowed.

Naruto dropped to the ground and rolled as a fist of shuriken flew from the shroud of fog, springing to his feet in time to swing his forearm out and block a straight palm strike from Neji. A satisfying crack from his opponent's wrist elicited a fierce grin from the blond. Neji held the blow regardless, locking up Naruto's arm. He was breathing hard, which brought another note of satisfaction.

"Hakke," Neji said in a quiet, strained voice. Naruto tensed and tried to fling his arm away, but the older boy's hand turned and grabbed his forearm in a vice-like hold despite the fractured bones in his wrist. The Kyuubi's chakra roiled around Neji's grip but he held on, his other palm thrusting forward as he snarled, "Mountain Crusher!" A dense wave of chakra erupted from Neji's palm, obscuring Naruto from view in a burst of whiteness for a split second.

The wall of the arena fifty meters away cracked as an orange-red blur collided with it, sending out a cloud of dust and rubble. Neji sagged forward, catching himself in a stagger. His hard eyes were locked on where Naruto had hit the wall, and his breath was coming in ragged gasps. The hand that had been used to hold Naruto was twisted at an odd angle and badly burned, a sacrifice to land the blow.

"In what dream," he panted, spitting on the ground as he slowly straightened, "Did you expect to defeat me?" Neji turned towards Genma amidst a stunned silence from the crowd, staring pointedly at the jounin. "If he's not dead, he'll need medical attention immediately. Nobody could have–"

"Survived that?" Neji spun back towards the wreckage, eyes full of fury. The smoke from Naruto's impact was still thick, and all that anybody else could make out was a vague shadow walking slowly towards Neji.

"I saw you fall," the Hyuuga boy seethed. "I saw your chakra deplete from trying to absorb the impact. You . . . You can't fool my eyes!"

"Maybe try looking again," Naruto continued calmly, stepping from the dust. The spectators had started a cheer but choked it back immediately, a few strangled cries coming out instead. "Go ahead; take a look, Neji. Tell me what you see."

Naruto stood defiantly before Neji – before the entire village. Two red tails twitched back and forth behind him, bubbling with the same chakra that covered the rest of his body. The features created by the Kyuubi's cloak were more pronounced than before, and the whisker-like scars on his cheeks were thicker. Claws wrought of red chakra dug into the ground at his feet and flexed at his fingertips. The faux fox ears atop his head appeared alive with the chakra's motion.

Neji looked into him with his Byakugan, and then he saw . . . _it_. At Naruto's torso – where the core of his own chakra should have been – was the bright orange flame that had grown to envelope him entirely, sharing its unfathomable energy with the comparatively small container. As he watched through his Byakugan the fires twisted, forming the bust of a ferocious fox. It laughed. It was a deep, cold, mocking laugh that shook his very being. And then it was gone, as if it had never been.

"From the look on your face," Naruto smirked, rolling each of his shoulders in turn, "I can tell that you saw."

"Who . . . What . . ." Neji couldn't get the words out.

"Neji," Naruto said in a low, serious tone. "I'm going to give you the chance to back down now, to save you a lot of pain and pride. You can't beat me; you didn't have a chance from the beginning."

"Why . . ." he started, looking desperate to understand. "This isn't how it's supposed to happen. You're not . . . You're just–"

"I'm not weak, Neji. I'm not a monster, either," Naruto added dryly, knowing that Neji had at least a glimpse at what was inside of him. "And I can't let you keep hurting people because of some stupid ideas about fate. Whether you surrender here or not," he said firmly, starting forward again, "I'll show you and everybody else that there's no such thing as fate." Neji's eyes narrowed and he lowered himself into a jyuken stance, drawing on his chakra reserves. Naruto shook his head, continuing forward.

"You look down on Hinata because you think she's weak, but she's stronger than you'll ever be. And it's because of jerks like you that she's trained so hard to become strong. Do you know how much she's suffered because of the head family? You two might have more in common than you think." He was only a few meters away now, never halting his advance. "She cares about you, Neji. No matter what you say or do to her she never says a bad thing about you. She just keeps fighting against her own fate, the fate of being born as the heiress to the Hyuuga main family. And here you are, fighting your own battle to try and prove that what she's doing is wrong."

"Hakke: One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!" Neji shouted, flying forward in a fit of rage. He didn't want to listen anymore. He didn't want to hear this pariah try to pick him apart like he was some broken object to be examined and fixed. He didn't want his life's ambitions and beliefs tarnished. He didn't want any of it.

Before he could take the first step Naruto's fist buried itself into his stomach. The air was ripped from Neji's lungs as he careened backwards with the force of the blow, spinning through the air before hitting the ground and tumbling several meters further. His progress was halted abruptly as his back hit Naruto's foot; the blond had moved so quickly to intercept him that few from the audience had even followed him. A chakra-coated hand latched onto Neji's collar, dragging him from the ground and holding him aloft. The Hyuuga boy still had enough fight in him to struggle, but it was useless.

_**Kid, you're losing it,**_ the Kyuubi cautioned. _**You can't control this much chakra yet. **_Naruto wasn't listening, and the fox let out an irritated tsk.

Naruto held out his right hand, gathering chakra there once again. In moments the empowered Rasengan was making its high-pitched whirring sound, muted slightly by the Kyuubi's chakra surrounding it. He pulled his arm back, intending to drive the sphere directly into Neji's chest.

"The match is over!" Genma called sharply, causing Naruto a moment's hesitation. The Rasengan quivered a hair's breadth from Neji, cutting into the fabric of his shirt. Memories surged within Naruto's mind, fighting for attention: Hinata's apprehension when they first went to train with Team Gai; Neji's cruel words during the preliminaries. _He tried to kill Hinata._ Crimson eyes flicked to the jounin examiner, then back to Neji. He couldn't stop himself.

"Naruto-kun!"

Hinata's voice pierced the tense silence of the arena, and Naruto froze. All eyes turned towards Section B, at the girl leaning over the railing with a shamelessly pleading expression painted across her features. Naruto's eyes were only one of many pairs, but his were the ones that softened most.

"Can't believe I . . ." he mumbled, shaking his head as the cloak of chakra dissipated. Neji fell to the ground a second later, coughing and choking for air. Naruto looked oddly distant, and even a little disgusted for a few moments. But when he turned to look down at Neji his eyes were back to normal again, expression controlled and somewhat sympathetic.

"Don't give up, Neji," he said softly, voice tired. "You're not as trapped as you think you are." Naruto held out his hand to him then, trying to summon a grin. "I still won't forgive you for hurting Hinata, but we can start with an apology and work from there. Deal?"

Neji stared at him in blatant disbelief. After being beaten, made a fool of, and lectured, this boy expected him to take his hand and forget it all. Naruto was asking him to leave his pride by the wayside and go against everything he believed in. He could not. He _would_ not. He looked away and said nothing, swatting the offered hand away with his wounded wrist. Naruto frowned and straightened, shaking his head again and scratching at the back of his neck.

"Winner: Uzumaki Naruto."

The crowd erupted in cheers, prompting Naruto to blink up towards the stands. His gaze traveled slowly around the amphitheater, and just as gradually a proud yet sheepish grin spread across his features.

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Hinata fell back to her seat, already biting at her lip. There were still a few people glancing furtively at her. Tenten was watching her concernedly as well, but she was too distracted to notice. Too many thoughts were flitting through her mind.

"He won," Kakashi said, leaning down so that Hinata would hear him over the din. "I know you're anxious, but just look around you for a moment." She looked up at her sensei curiously before scanning their surroundings. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she realized what he had meant.

"This is the first time that he's ever been acknowledged by the villagers, isn't it?" Kakashi nodded, leaning back as he straightened to watch as Naruto gave the spectators a few waves before making his way out of the arena. Even after nearly losing control of the Kyuubi's chakra he was beaming, though his cheeks were still aglow with an embarrassed flush. Iruka had taught him something of humility, at least.

"Everybody seems impressed with him now," the jounin mused, smirking slightly. "I guess they're finally starting to see what we see, hm?" Hinata nodded, smiling to herself.

"Starting to, but . . ." She blushed and shook her head quickly, turning to strike up a hurried conversation with Tenten. Kakashi raised an eyebrow before shrugging and turning back to Gai to continue discussing the previous match. _But they'll never see what I see._

Naruto arrived in their section just as Genma was making his way back to the center of the ring. A team of medics had escorted Neji out on a stretcher, and the youth's eyes had been locked on Naruto his entire way out.

"That was incredible, Naruto-kun!" Lee said exuberantly as the blond approached, leaping from his seat and clenching his fist in a passionate display. "What was that technique you used that turned you all red?"

"Ano . . ." Naruto started, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. He looked around, though most of the people around had turned their attention back to the center of the ring. The next match was the most anticipated, after all. "It's just a special kind of chakra I have," he finished lamely, shrugging and slipping past Gai and Kakashi. They made room for him without his asking. He lowered himself next to Hinata on the side opposite Tenten, wincing as he did so.

"You're hurt," Hinata said quietly. Naruto gave her a weak smile and leaned back. His hand found hers a moment later, relaxing in a comfortable hold as he spoke again.

"Yeah, kind of. I had to uh . . ." He glanced past her to Tenten and Lee before deciding to censor his words. "I had to use the red chakra to absorb the impact from that thing he did – the Mountain Crusher, or something. It was a lot stronger than I thought, and I wasn't ready for it. He also got a few hits around my chest; it's a little hard to breathe."

"I wouldn't have expected it before the preliminaries," Tenten said with a sigh, smirking over at Naruto. "I didn't think Neji could be beaten by another genin. It looks like you proved me and everybody else wrong." He flashed an appreciative smile at the older girl before looking back to Hinata. She hadn't said anything, but instead was giving him one of her 'looks.' Naruto rolled his eyes, but he couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping as he pulled his right leg onto the bench so that he could face her.

"Alright, go ahead," he said in a light, teasing tone. Hinata clicked her tongue at him before putting her hands to his chest, seeking out and starting to heal his injuries.

"Did I miss Sasuke-kun's match?" They turned to see Haku skidding to a halt at the end of their row, breathing hard and flushed from his hurry. He was dressed in a formal kimono that sported far more pink than a young man might usually wear. Neither Naruto nor Hinata seemed to notice, however, only shaking their heads in unison and smiling at him.

"His fight's just about to start," Hinata assured him. "Come sit with us, Haku-chan." The older boy flushed and nodded, quickly making his way to squeeze in between Kakashi and Naruto as Genma's voice called out from below.

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"The next round is between Uchiha Sasuke and Gaara of the Sand." The crowd redoubled its cheering. Sasuke vaulted the railing from the competitors' viewing area, sliding a ways before putting his hands in his pockets and walking casually the rest of the way down. Gaara watched him, his expression one of maddened glee as he turned towards the stairs. Temari and Kankuro stood silently nearby, beads of sweat forming on their brows.

Sasuke made it to Genma well before his adversary emerged from the tunnel. He was still dressed in the black outfit that Kakashi had given him, though a thick leather belt had been added to hold a wakizashi on his left hip. The longer blade rested on his back, suspended by a sash-like shoulder holster that attached to his belt. The weapons were sharpened and polished within their black sheaths; one of his first errands back in Konoha had been to obtain a new set.

"Hurry it up, kid," Genma grumbled at Gaara as he made his way slowly to them. "Everybody's been waiting for this match, and you're not adding any suspense by being lazy." The boy was silent and did not pick up his pace. He simply continued forward, his eyes never leaving Sasuke. The jounin rolled his eyes, but the pitch of the crowd only proved that they were becoming even more excited.

"Thanks for joining us," Genma said sarcastically before taking a few steps back. "Same rules as the preliminaries. If I say the match is over, it's over. Don't second-guess me." He looked between them, noticed that neither boy was paying attention, and sighed. "Whatever. Begin!"

Sand began flowing from Gaara's gourd the moment Genma gave the go-ahead, and Sasuke crouched into a ready stance in response. However, the Suna-nin twitched and winced as if in pain a moment later, clutching at his right eye and muttering under his breath. Sasuke couldn't make out much of it, but what he gathered was that the boy was speaking to his . . . _His mother?_

"Yes, mother. You'll get to drink up his delicious blood . . . All of it . . ." Sasuke tensed at the cryptic, disturbing statement. Gaara shuddered again and flinched, breathing in deeply for a few seconds before turning his now flat gaze to his opponent. "Come."

"Gladly." Sasuke smirked fiercely, activated his Sharingan, let loose a fist of shuriken, and sprinted forward.

Gaara's sand flowed into a clone, which caught and flung back the projectiles. A beat later a wave of sand was speeding towards Sasuke, but it wasn't nearly as fast as he had expected.

_Kakashi made it sound like his sand was faster than this, _he thought as he leapt over the attack. _He was right that this guy seems to only be able to use his sand to do anything. Pretty boring, but I'm not waiting around to figure out what else he can do._ Sasuke turned his landing into a roll to put him right up to the clone, and with a single straight punch he drove a hole straight through its abdomen. The bunshin twitched once before sand began enveloping Sasuke's wrist, but he wasn't about to let that happen; Kakashi had told him all about Lee's fight. He struck again with his other hand, freeing both of them and pivoting into a lightning-quick hook that took the clone's head off, dispersing it to individual grains once again.

"My turn." The sand may as well have been moving in slow motion for all the good it did in keeping up with Sasuke. His movements were similar to Naruto's when he had taken on the two-tailed shroud – for those that had been there for Lee's fight with Gaara, his speed now matched the older genin's. The crowd's cheering faltered and sputtered into an awed, quiet rumble.

Gaara hit the ground ten meters away; the armor of sand on one half of his face was cracked and breaking off. Sasuke stood where Gaara had been, his fist pulling back from the punch that had come too quickly to detect. The Suna-nin narrowed his eyes and rose, apparently unharmed.

"Looks like I'll have to try a little harder to actually hurt you," Sasuke mused aloud, pretending to think for a moment before he disappeared again.

The audience only caught glimpses of the Uchiha in the following minute. The cheering from the onlookers came in brief bursts whenever Gaara was struck by a seemingly invisible force. Only the cheers from the chuunin and jounin spectators were consistent, however. By the time Sasuke was fully visible again shards of hardened sand riddled the ground around Gaara. His shell had been shattered in most visible areas, and though he was breathing hard he still didn't seem to have taken any direct damage. Sasuke's own breath was coming a bit more labored than usual as well.

"Examiner," Sasuke breathed, reaching for his weapons. "Stop the match when you see fit to do so. I'm not going to let up until he dies."

"What's with you kids?" Genma scowled, obviously exasperated at being told nearly the same thing two fights in a row.

This time, although Sasuke was still moving faster than Gaara's sand could keep up with, more of the crowd was able to track his movements. Blood sprayed into the air every few seconds as he danced blinding circles around his opponent, striking at the areas where the sand had been weakened.

_He didn't train at all. Does he think this sluggish sand is going to be able to protect him forever?_ Sasuke was almost offended by the idea, and after a particularly gruesome slash to Gaara's shoulder he jumped back to view the damage. The Sand genin was hunched over in front of him, eyes unfocused but still filled with malice. Blood dripped or simply flowed from a dozen cuts and gashes along his body, most of which had landed along his limbs with one or two deeper wounds on his chest and side.

"My . . . blood . . ." Gaara snarled, finally breaking eye contact to look down at his injuries. "Mine . . ." And then he laughed. It was a harsh, hollow sound that sounded like a mix between a bark and a madman's cackle. Sasuke balked and took a subconscious step back, eyeing the other boy warily. "It's time."

Gaara quieted and brought his hands together, holding the maniacal smile as the sand churned and flowed around him into a tight sphere. Sasuke threw two kunai at the closing center space, but the weapons deflected wildly and sent showers of sparks cascading over the barrier of sand. The shield was already as hard as the metal blades.

"Great," Sasuke sighed, deftly sheathing his blades and rolling his shoulders. "Impenetrable shield. If only I had a technique that could break through that." He feigned thought for a moment – if only to further annoy Genma – before appearing to have an epiphany. "Oh yeah, I do." He smirked as he crouched and flew through seals, lowering his left hand and beginning to gather his chakra. The hum coming from the stands turned into an excited trill as electricity crackled in Sasuke's palm. Miniature lightning strikes played across the ground and up his arm until he pulled it back, starting forward at a dead sprint. The focused chakra began to emit a dissonance of high-pitched chirping sounds that were loud enough for the spectators far above to hear.

Spikes of hardened sand shot from Gaara's barrier as Sasuke approached, aiming for his vital points. Sasuke used only the barest movements to avoid the strikes in order to keep his momentum, even allowing one to cut into his cheek. He grit his teeth and thrust his palm forward, shouting above the screeching energy and roar of the crowd.

"Chidori!" As in Kakashi's demonstration the ability cut smoothly into the sand, melting it around the point of impact. The hardened grains flowed together and became brittle under to the intense heat, and several centimeters surrounding Sasuke's forearm turned to glass between one instant and the next. The small circle of glass shattered as the Uchiha's attack made contact on the other side, and then everything became very quiet.

Sasuke tensed as he sensed something amiss, and he immediately tried to pull his arm back. Something fastened onto his wrist, threatening to crush it in a vice-like grip. He ground out a curse and reactivated the Chidori, setting his feet against the outside of the shell and pushing back with all of his strength. After a strained moment he felt the hold loosen and shy away from the lightning. Sasuke dove backwards, twisting mid-flight to land sliding several meters away.

"What the . . ." he started under his breath. Dark shapes writhed beyond the small hole he had created, indistinct but disconcerting nonetheless. It wasn't until he saw the amber glow that realization began to dawn, and by then it was too late. A large yellow eye flashed in front of the opening, and then Gaara began screaming. The sound was one of agony, terror, madness, and rage. Sasuke could only get one panicked word out before he leapt away from the cracking shell.

"Shukaku!"

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"Kai!" Almost the entire row holding Teams Gai and Kakashi spoke in unison, dispelling the genjutsu that had begun moments before. They were already on their feet, and before Kakashi could get a word out Naruto had reached the railing.

"Naruto," he said sharply, halting the youth in his tracks. "Take stock of your surroundings before you act." The boy, glanced around hurriedly, then let out a curse. All of the civilians were asleep, and the shinobi that had managed to shake the illusory technique had already engaged in combat with ninjas wearing Sound hitai-ate.

"Sensei, you heard Sasuke," Naruto said with a quick glance back to the arena floor. "If it is then–"

"Then we'll deal with it when we must, but for now protecting the citizens of Konoha is the priority. Do as I say; this is not a game. Konoha is under attack." He hesitated for only a moment before nodding tightly and drawing a kunai. Gai had already ordered his team to the western part of their section, and the three of them were battling half a dozen Oto-nin attempting to enter from the stairs. "You three take the other side; I'll handle the center aisle." Hinata reached behind her belt and withdrew her modified trench-knives, her expression grave and anxious. Haku had senbon between each of his fingers, and with a worried look down at Sasuke he charged east to assist the Leaf forces. Naruto and Hinata followed without hesitation, prepared to heed Kakashi's final barked order. "This is the real thing. Strike to kill."

* * *

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* * *

Temari and Kankuro landed together in front of Gaara's hardened shell, facing Sasuke. They both had their weapons drawn – in the older boy's case, his puppet was already out and ready. A second later their jounin instructor appeared in front of them, looking irate but serious nonetheless.

"Damn that Gaara," he spat, glancing at the barrier. "He could ruin the plan by losing control like this."

"I'll take Baki," Genma said as he stepped up beside Sasuke, eyes narrowing at the other man. "You take the two kids." He raised his voice to the three Sand shinobi, drawing out several kunai. "So you've been planning to attack from the beginning, using the Chuunin Exam as a front to get your people inside. I hate to tell you, but it won't be that easy." Baki only grinned mirthlessly at Genma, and a moment later they realized why.

The ground shook and a few chunks of stone fell from the high walls around them. Thunderous crashes reached their ears from far off, followed by a monstrous hissing noise. Sasuke wasn't allowed a moment to wonder about what was happening. He and Genma were forced to dodge aside as a torrent of wind rushed towards them. Genma disappeared at the same time as Baki, and a short time after the sounds of a skirmish could be heard a ways off to one side. All Sasuke was focused on were the two enemy genin in front of him, however.

"I'm not really excited to fight this guy after seeing what he did to Gaara," Kankuro sighed, flexing his fingers. "But orders are orders."

"We shouldn't be here in the first place," Temari growled, glancing worriedly back to where Gaara still remained entombed by his own sand. "We could die."

"Yeah, you could," Sasuke responded evenly, drawing his blades once again. "I'll . . ." He trailed off, staring past the two of them. Both Suna-nin froze, their eyes widening in fear. The shell of sand had burst open on one side and a long, tan _something_ came slithering out to claw at the ground as if testing something.

"Kankuro!" Temari shouted, panicked. Her brother needed no further encouragement. She flipped her fan horizontally and leapt on it, Kankuro right behind her. Sasuke was left blinking at them as they sped away through the air. His eyes were drawn back to Gaara a moment later – at least, what had been Gaara a few minutes earlier.

Debris scattered in every direction as the ground buckled under a colossal weight, and Sasuke was forced to cover his eyes as he staggered back. When he lowered his arm to see what had happened, all that could be seen was roiling dust. But slowly a shadowy shape became visible within the shroud, towering higher than the walls of the arena. It was truly massive; on its own it took up half of the grounds, and that was only because it had torn down the entire northern wall of the amphitheater with its coming. When the haze finally settled Sasuke was looking up at least a hundred stories, right into the mad golden eyes of the Ichibi.

"You're the one," the beast yelled. It let out a crazed, high-pitched cackle, its giant tail crushing several more buildings behind the already destroyed wall. "You did it! You made him lose too much blood! I'm out, I'm out!" The piercing laughter created a wave of force on its own, pushing Sasuke back several meters.

_This . . . This is a tailed beast?!_ Its chakra was incomprehensible. Its mere voice could shake the earth, and a casual flick of its tail could level acres. _Nobody could fight this thing. I have to get out of__–_

"Fuuton: Drilling Air Bullet!" A mass of air the size of a building burst from Shukaku's mouth towards Sasuke. "You're the one! I want to kill you!" Sasuke growled and vanished, but a moment later he was sent tumbling to the side as the chakra bomb hit the ground. Even from twenty meters away the force of the impact had been enough to knock him from his feet and send him rolling off to the side. "You can't get away! You can't get away! I want to taste your blood!"

Sasuke kicked back to his feet and flipped sideways, narrowly avoiding a round of senbon and a small tornado. The needles got caught up in the whirlwind, creating an even deadlier spiral that passed far too close to him. Temari and Kankuro landed nearby, placing Sasuke between them and Shukaku. Both looked frightened and strained.

"You're not getting away, Uchiha Sasuke," Temari called in a shaky voice, raising her fan as the Ichibi reeled back for another ranged attack. Another chakra-laced mass of air shot towards Sasuke in the same instant that Temari let loose a powerful, broad wave of wind. Kankuro's puppet sent a barrage of poison-tipped needles from above, further narrowing Sasuke's options of escape.

Time slowed down as he took everything in. A cold sweat broke over his brow as his mind raced. _Her wall will knock me back into the other two attacks. I'll die if I get hit by Shukaku's. Only option is up._ He turned his Sharingan skyward, and in the fraction of a second that it took him to gather chakra and jump he had calculated his trajectory. There were at least a hundred senbon, but they were spread wide enough that he had been able to find a path through. Sasuke twisted as he flew upwards, trying to remain calm and focused on his movements. He raised one knee, bent his arm slightly, and moved the other a few centimeters out while keeping it locked straight. A tense moment later he broke through unharmed; several of the projectiles had passed so close to him that he could feel the poison burning on his skin.

Sasuke spun to get momentum for his kick, driving his foot into the puppet responsible for the deadly shower. Its carapace shattered with the blow, and it hit an undamaged portion of the wall a second later only to crumple to the ground.

_Katon: Great Fireball! Katon: Phoenix Sage Fire! _A comet of fire rushed towards the Suna-nin, forcing them to dodge to each side. The first technique, however, was a distraction from the second. Several small fireballs broke off from the larger one while Kankuro and Temari were still in mid-air, tearing towards them. Temari used her fan to guard, and Kankuro crossed his arms to help absorb the attack. Both were carried off course regardless, sending them much further away than they had intended to dodge.

_Damnit Naruto, Hinata; where are you?_ Sasuke landed on the wall, already letting loose a volley of shuriken. _Raiton: Lightning Shuriken!_ Electricity coursed down the hidden wires and into the spinning blades an instant before Temari attempted to deflect them. The charged weapons ripped through her fan as they lit up with Sasuke's channeled chakra, and a breath later he guided them around to wrap the wires tightly about the kunoichi's body. She let out a strangled cry before falling to the ground, twitching as the remaining power faded.

"Temari!" Kankuro shouted, sprinting towards her. Sasuke fell to one knee, wincing and breathing hard. Even if he had wanted to attack, he had used up too much chakra in his fight with Gaara and his subsequent assault on the others. Unfortunately he did not have the time to recover. A laugh from Shukaku signaled yet another attack on the way, and the only thing Sasuke could do to avoid it was release the chakra holding his feet to the wall. He dropped fast, and a second later the section of the wall he had been standing on exploded in a shower of rubble. Sasuke hit the ground hard, gasping in a sharp breath and rolling to a crouch.

"Fuuton: Drilling Air Bullet!" the Ichibi yelled maniacally again, and before it even left the monster's mouth Sasuke knew he wouldn't be able to dodge in time.

"Hakke: Vacuum Palm!"

"Suiton: Water Blast!"

Sasuke blinked up at the backs of his two friends, standing side by side and blocking his vision of the oncoming technique. With his Sharingan still active, however, he could see the amount of raw power they both put into their jutsu. An enormous column of water shot towards Shukaku's air bullet, surrounded and accelerated by a tremendous force of air. The combination of abilities met the tailed beast's attack, and the resulting blowout shook the ground on which they stood. When the misty aftermath cleared, Hinata and Naruto still stood in front of him, their features grim and their eyes hard on Shukaku.

"You're late," Sasuke panted, pushing himself to his feet.

"We had to help the villagers," Naruto responded with a tight grin. "I figured you could handle yourself for a bit. Hinata," he continued quietly, tilting his head back to Sasuke. She nodded and moved back to do some quick mending.

"I'm not very injured. Just low on chakra." Hinata nodded again and pulled a soldier pill from her side pouch, handing it to Sasuke as she began to work quickly on his minor injuries. Naruto took a step towards Shukaku, clenching his fists and meeting the giant raccoon-dog's gaze without fear.

_**This is way out of your league, kid,**_the Kyuubi said gruffly, and the urgency in his voice gave Naruto a moment's pause. _**I'm serious this time. Even if you could control nine tails worth of my chakra, there's no way you'd be able to match a fully transformed bijuu.**_

_Kakashi ordered us here to help Sasuke, and that's what I'm going to do. The Hokage is the only one that could stand a chance against Shukaku, but he's busy fighting his own battle._ Naruto took a deep breath, summoning all of his and the Kyuubi's chakra that he could muster. _I can at least keep it distracted until Sasuke's recovered. Do what you can to help me._

_**Whatever you say. You're a fool, mortal.**_

"Oy, Ichibi," Naruto called. "Why don't you pick on somebody else?!" Shukaku's gaze fell from Sasuke and Hinata, its eyes narrowing on the blond just below.

"Oooooh, the jinchuuriki? Is that you in there, Kyuubi? Why don't you come out and play? I'll show you that one is better than nine!" Naruto didn't have time to puzzle over the Ichibi's words, forced to dodge to the side as a massive claw tore down at him. "C'mon c'mon c'mon! Fight me, Kyuubi!" Another blast was aimed directly at where Naruto was landing.

_You're right; he is crazy._ Naruto thrust his palm towards the immense chakra ball, his Rasengan whirring to life in the same instant. If not for the Kyuubi's chakra Naruto would have been crushed, but his own together with the one-tailed cloak allowed him to withstand it – if barely. _Little more,_ he grunted to the fox. The second tail snaked out behind him, and then both shot forward over his shoulders and slammed into the air bullet. The added strength deflected the technique back and into the Ichibi's stomach, forcing it to take a stumbling step back.

"Interesting! Very interesting, mortal! But I don't want to play with you; I want the Fox!" Shukaku began lashing his tail, tearing down more of the arena wall as he moved forward and began swiping at Naruto. Not only was the beast faster than its mass should have allowed, but with every strike smaller tendrils shot out from its arm towards where Naruto dodged. Its entire body seemed to be able to flow and shift.

_He's made of sand, isn't he?_ Naruto asked as he slashed through a few extra reaching limbs.

_**More or less. **_The Kyuubi was oddly subdued, speaking in a tone of resignation.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called. "I'm finished; get back!" He heard her gasp after that, and the clang of metal striking metal. His eyes flicked towards his teammates for only an instant, in which he saw Kankuro engaging Hinata while a recovered Temari battled Sasuke. In the instant he looked away a sweeping limb struck him across the back, sending him crashing into the ground.

_Ow._ He rolled quickly to the side as a gigantic paw descended on him, smashing into the ground and creating a meter-deep impression.

_**Kid, your girlfriend said to get back. That'd be the smart thing to do about now.**_

_I know, I'm trying, _Naruto muttered, leaping away as another bullet of compressed air whistled by. He looked worriedly back towards his friends again.

"Ah, Kyuubi. Too distracted to come out to play? Let's fix that!"

The world slowed for Naruto as he realized what Shukaku was doing. Three large spikes shot from the monster's chest towards Hinata's back while another set sped after Sasuke. The Uchiha flipped backwards to avoid the attack, and then his eyes widened and he spun towards Hinata. She had been jumping forward to attack Kankuro when the spikes were released, and though she could see them with her Byakugan she wouldn't be able to move fast enough to dodge. Her adversary dove to the side as her foot touched back to the ground, but it was too late. _I can't._

That instant felt like an eternity, but the aftermath seemed to try to make up for the lost time. Hinata hit the ground hard on her shoulder, bouncing once before colliding with one of the sparse trees lining the arena. She felt one of her ribs break at the impact, and she fell to the ground a moment later to gasp for air. It was then that she noticed how quiet things seemed to have gotten. The fighting in the stands above had died down, and the skirmishes around her had ceased. She was still trying to figure out what had knocked her aside with such force when she finally looked up.

Where she had been standing there was nothing, which confused her even further. Her gaze traveled further to Sasuke, whose eyes were impossibly wide as he stared at the mangled wall of the stadium. Hinata followed his gaze to where the three spikes had been driven half of their length into the solid stone. Pinned between them was a blond boy, his black coat fluttering in the light breeze as the red-orange chakra faded from his limp form.

"Naruto . . ." Hinata's sluggish mind went blank. She stood slowly, her eyes growing wider by the second as she took several slow steps towards him. One of the spikes had missed him, striking the wall a hair's breadth from his head. Another had his arm held to the wall, or what was left of it to hold. The barb had struck his left bicep and nearly torn his arm clean off; blood flowed freely from the wound, and his forearm hung uselessly over the spike by a few shreds of mangled flesh. The last shaft had run through his torso, and where his right side should have been there was only bloody, hardened sand. The Kyuubi's chakra had dissipated rapidly, and now Naruto only stared out at nothing with vacant, dimming blue eyes.

"No . . ." Nobody stopped Hinata as she approached, trembling uncontrollably. "No . . ." She reached out, desperately feeling his neck for a pulse. Nothing. She couldn't take her eyes from his, and she couldn't even hear Shukaku's maddened laughter behind her. All she could see were the eyes of the boy she loved, and the small, relieved smile that graced his lips even after he was . . . _Gone._

Hinata didn't hear Sasuke shouting. She didn't hear when Temari and Kankuro retreated or when Kakashi and Haku arrived on the scene. She didn't hear because she couldn't hear. All she could hear were Naruto's last words to her, just before they had arrived to assist Sasuke.

"_Be safe."_

_He's dead, _she thought hollowly, touching his cooling cheek. Tears were flowing unchecked down her face, but her expression remained empty and disbelieving. She had always thought of Naruto as invincible, somehow; he had always been so confident, so determined no matter the odds. They had been through so much together. They had trained together for years, been on dangerous missions together. They had fought side by side so many times. And now . . . _Naruto-kun is dead._ The warm, ever-burning fire within her wavered and began to dwindle. It flickered for an instant, then was snuffed out completely. Hinata clutched her head, beginning to hyperventilate.

"N-no . . ." she stuttered, backing away and unable to move her eyes from Naruto. "No . . . He can't be dead . . ." Her voice rose with every word as she stumbled sideways, finally tearing her gaze from him and turning towards the sky. And then something happened that no person had ever witnessed, and none would ever wish to experience again. Hinata _screamed._

Something snapped within the young Hyuuga, and without regard for herself she spun towards Shukaku. The beast was still filled with mirth at his accomplishment and appeared to be dancing about in glee.

"_You!"_ Hinata howled, starting towards the Ichibi. _"You took him from me! I never told him – I never told him that I loved him!"_ Every choked syllable was a tragic note played upon broken heartstrings. Tenten's words echoed over and over in her head, mocking her. _One of you could be gone tomorrow, and you'll have never shared your feelings for one another._

Nearby, Sasuke had snapped out of his daze, fighting back tears of his own as Kakashi yelled at them both to fall back. But Hinata was already running at her friend's murderer, hands becoming a blur in the multitude of hand seals she had begun.

"Fuuton: Gale Palm! Suiton: Slicing Waves! Hakke: Ethereal Senbon Barrage!" Chakra was pouring from the girl as jutsu tore through the air towards Shukaku. Huge scythes of water sliced into the Ichibi's torso as blasts of air battered his eyes and face. Hinata's arms became untraceable in movements similar to her protection technique, but now fine needles of chakra cascaded from her, battering every visible part of the beast's body. Hundreds of senbon later Hinata was still running at Shukaku, heedless to the fact that her attacks had amounted to little more than an annoyance.

She hadn't even seen Hiashi flash in front of her, only realizing his presence when she was thrown over his shoulder and being carried away. The Hyuuga clan leader deftly maneuvered around the bijuu, sprinting towards an exit before his daughter could end her life in her recklessness.

"No! Let me go; it killed him! It killed him!" A breath later she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head, and her vision began to blur. Her hand stretched back towards Naruto as she was taken further from him. As merciful darkness took her she prayed to fate, destiny, and everything in between that this could be a nightmare.

_Naruto . . . kun._

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**Author's Note:**

Heya folks.

I actually have no notes for this chapter; they'll all come in the next one, so please stay tuned and don't unleash ultra-angry typing at me yet. However, I should mention that my updates _will_ have to slow now; I'm actually working on a book that I'm trying to get done by January, so I'll need to dedicate 5-7k words per week to getting it done. x_x; I promise I'll keep writing CFKD though! I enjoy it too much to stop.

Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following as always. I was blown away by the response to last chapter, and it helped me get this one done much faster than I normally might have. You all encourage me more than you might think, and I appreciate it greatly.

As always, a big thank you to Rhi for editing this chapter for me. It was a difficult one for both of us to work through.

See you next time!

- Wes

P.S. I'm looking for a talented artist that I could commission a little piece from for this fic. I'm considering two ideas, one of which would require a major spoiler (years later spoiler), but the one I'd really like right now would be a fun picture of the trio in their updated outfits. If you (or somebody you know) might be interested, I'd love to get in touch via PM!


	17. Trust

**Chapter 17 – Trust**

The familiar sound of droplets falling steadily into a stagnant pool was oddly comforting. The water felt cool and welcoming this time, and the surrounding dimness was a blessing of its own. But it couldn't last, Naruto knew. His heavy eyelids eased open to view the darkness far above, and after a moment he sat up slowly.

"Sorry," he sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. His voice echoed around the chamber, and it was met with a growl from beyond the gate.

"_**An apology isn't going to fix this, mortal," **_the Kyuubi rumbled, resting its head on its massive forepaws. _**"We're both about to die."**_

"Yeah . . . I know. But I am sorry that I had to take you with me; it's not really fair." Large crimson eyes blinked at him, and after a few seconds the fox tilted its head to the side curiously.

"_**What does it matter to you? The Bijuu have become mere weapons of war, made so by shinobi like you. I have been manipulated and sealed by more humans than I care to remember, all in the name of greed."**_

"Would you knock that off already?" Naruto sighed, pushing himself up and looking around before wading to the gate. "I've been telling you for months that I just want to work with you. Can't you at least act like my friend instead of my 'tool' or whatever?"

"_**Friend?"**_ the Kyuubi mused, swishing its many tails around and chuckling mirthlessly. _**"My presence within you has made your life miserable. I'm a tailed beast, kid; what makes you think you can befriend the greatest power of this world?"**_ Naruto sighed again, sinking back to sit in the shallow water and pulling his knees to his chest. He didn't say anything in response, only staring into the prison past the fox. The Kyuubi made a frustrated noise, rolling its eyes before continuing. _**"What?"**_

"I . . . I don't want to die, I guess." Naruto paused and let out a weak laugh, shivering slightly. "I mean, if I had to make the decision again I would have done the same thing. I'm glad Hinata-chan is safe, but . . ."

"_**You heard her, didn't you?" **_The fox's voice was quiet, though it still nearly shook the bars in front of Naruto. The boy nodded slowly, fidgeting with his sleeves and still looking at nothing. He heard the Kyuubi sigh, but didn't see its eyes close solemnly. _**"You've got a lot to learn – not that there's any time for that now."**_

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, lifting his gaze. The Kyuubi shifted its weight, uncrossing its paws and settling its head down between them, its face as close to the ground and Naruto as it could be with the barrier in between them. It was an unnerving sight, seeing the fox looming like that, but it also seemed odd for the beast.

"_**Kid, why did you save Hinata?"**_ Naruto blinked at him a few more times, briefly distracted at hearing the Kyuubi use her name.

"Because she would have been killed if I hadn't," he responded assuredly. "I couldn't have let her die if there was something I could do about it." The Kyuubi shook its head, and the floor trembled with the motion.

"_**That's not what I meant, fool. You saved her because you possess the same feelings."**_ Naruto didn't blush as expected; instead he looked down, nodding after a moment of silence. _**"But you didn't even think about her, did you? You acted selfishly."**_

"What?" Naruto blurted out, looking up at him incredulously. "I protected her; how is that selfish?"

"_**Use your damn brain," **_the Kyuubi growled, baring its teeth. _**"You're about to be dead. Do you understand what that means? You'll be gone – forever – and guess what?" **_He paused for emphasis, allowing the boy time to visibly pale. _**"She's still alive, and will have to live with the knowledge that you died protecting her – for the rest of her days."**_Naruto became very still after that, staring up into one of the Kyuubi's massive eyes.

"But . . ." Tears began to burn at the corners of his eyes as he tried to fight off the fox's explanation. "But I couldn't . . ." he choked, squeezing his knees to his chest. If Naruto hadn't known any better, he would have sworn that the Kyuubi's eyes softened, even if only a little.

"_**Kid . . . Sometimes being the one who lives is being the one who loses the most. Just because you possess the strength to act, it doesn't mean that you always should." **_The words struck Naruto like a physical blow, and had he been standing he might have stumbled back. There was only silence after that, and it wasn't until several minutes later that Naruto realized that it was getting darker.

"I . . ." he began, wiping tears from his eyes. "I don't want to die." The Kyuubi raised an eyebrow; his eyes seemed brighter in the increasing gloom.

"_**Nobody wants to die, but you made this decision yourself."**_

"But I'm not dead yet," Naruto said fervently, glaring up at the fox. "As long as I'm alive – even just in here – I want to fight to keep it that way. I don't . . . I don't want to leave Hinata and Sasuke like that. Isn't there something – _anything _that we can do?" It was the Kyuubi's turn to blink, and the room flickered completely dark for a moment. The boy's expression was anguished and pleading, but it was mixed with his usual determination and fiery passion. It seemed the fox's words had banished his previous resignation.

"_**Not going to give up, hm?"**_ Naruto shook his head, and the Kyuubi couldn't help but let out a wry chuckle. _**"That sounds more like you, Uzumaki Naruto."**_ He was answered by a fierce grin from the blond, something he returned in kind. The Kyuubi's 'smile' looked more like a snarl, but Naruto was in tune enough with the bijuu that he understood the intent. _**"I can try one thing, but it's got a slim chance of working. Even if you manage to live, there will be repercussions."**_

"If I've only got one option, do they really matter?" The Kyuubi lifted its head and shrugged, flexing its claws in thought.

"_**I suppose not, but you ought to be aware of them." **_The giant fox stood then, slowly arching and stretching back, dragging its claws across the stone floor with the action. He acted as if he had all the time in the world, and Naruto was starting to get apprehensive about how long they really had left. _**"For one, you need to trust me. And I don't mean casual trust that you might afford an acquaintance; you need to put your full faith forward, because otherwise I won't be able to get out."**_

"Out?" Naruto blurted out before he could stop himself. Shukaku's maddened cheers came back to him then, and he swallowed nervously. _'I'm out, I'm out!'_ "You want me to let you out? Can you even do that?"

"_**Theoretically, yes. Shukaku's seal is different than this one, but if I flood your body with enough of my chakra and you allow me to take over, it could work. But,"**_ the Kyuubi continued, straightening and looking down at Naruto again, _**"There will be irreversible effects from forcing so much of my chakra into you, if you even survive it. I'll have to regenerate some of your organs, your left arm, and most of the right side of your body. Mending small injuries is barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things, but replicating that many cells in such a small period of time will have a measurable consequence. You **_**will **_**lose years of your life by doing this, and there will be scars that I cannot remove. I've never done something like this, nor have I heard of it being done, so that is as far as I can assure you."**_ Naruto stared up at the fox for a time, his grave features almost entirely hidden in the gathering darkness.

"Alright, I'll trust you," he said finally, then let out a sudden bark of laughter, eliciting another quirked eyebrow from the Kyuubi. "You know, you've been trapped inside of me for twelve years and I never asked your name; I've just been calling you 'Kyuubi' or 'the Fox' all this time. The Ichibi's name is Shukaku, right? What's yours?" Naruto couldn't see the corner of the fox's lips tug into a small smirk, but he heard the deep, rumbling chuckle a moment later.

"_**Mortals don't ask after our names, and neither do we give them lightly. Consider it a privilege that I will share it with you, even if it is moments from your likely death."**_ Naruto rolled his eyes as he stepped forward to the center of the gate, waiting in the short time he had left. _**"My name is Kurama, the Kyuubi no Kitsune. You humans have had many names for me – Bakegitsune, Kyuubi no Youko. Now that you know my true name, should you survive I expect proper respect from you, mortal." **_Naruto smirked, offering a bow that was only half serious.

"It was an _honor_ working with you, Kurama-_sama_." The Kyuubi growled at his obvious insolence, but Naruto continued as he straightened, softening the sarcasm a bit. "Really though . . . Thank you, Kurama. And _when_ we live through this, can you quit calling me 'kid' and 'mortal' too? You've at least known my name this whole time." Kurama snorted before easing up on his hind legs, reaching forward and placing his claws between the gates just behind the seal. The bars groaned as the enormous force began to push them apart, and a few growls escaped the fox before the barest slit cracked open between them.

"_**As you wish, **_**kid.**_**" **_Naruto placed his hands on the outside of the gigantic doors, trying to push them apart with all of his might. He barely even heard Kurama, too focused on providing what little aid he could.

Red-orange chakra rose up out of the ground, bringing light to the chamber once again. Energy was flowing off of the Kyuubi's colossal form, pouring into the water and leaking from between the bars in the gate. It swirled and coalesced around Naruto, and for a while he wondered why they were trying to pry the gate open in the first place. But then Kurama snarled, taking an earth-shattering step forward and heaving at the gate with all of his might. The Kyuubi's muscles appeared to tear as the barrier gave way another fraction of a centimeter, but it was enough.

The last thing Naruto saw was the bright light of a proverbial tidal wave of chakra before he was falling through cold darkness. Kurama's voice followed him down, the faintest words echoing in the back of his mind.

"_**See you on the other side, Naruto."**_

* * *

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* * *

An explosion shook the walls of the infirmary, rousing Hinata from her unconscious state. The back of her head throbbed and she felt dizzy as she opened her eyes. Waking up in a sterilized environment for the second time in a month proved unnerving, but that concern wasn't foremost in her mind. The girl's brow knitted as she tried to remember the dream she had been having – rather, the horrible nightmare. Another detonation nearby snapped her out of her reverie, and cruel reality came crashing back.

"Naruto . . ." she breathed, fresh tears already forming in her eyes. "Why . . .?"

"Because he cared for you." Hinata sat up at the sound of Neji's voice, trying to force the swelling tide of emotions back. The village was under attack, and she had already acted selfishly once. Unfortunately logic was much more difficult to employ than she would have hoped. It felt like her very soul ached.

She ignored her cousin, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. Her expression was blank – vacant, but grimly set to do her duty as a Leaf ninja. Not to mention . . . _They killed him._

"Hiashi-sama instructed me not to let you leave here," Neji stated quietly, setting himself in front of the only door as Hinata approached to leave. His right arm was heavily bandaged and held up by a sling, and most of his torso was wrapped as well. "He would not have harm come to–"

"Neji-niisan," Hinata interrupted in a calm, distant voice. "I was disowned, and I am no longer the Hyuuga heiress. My fate is my own to decide, and I will help our village however I may. Stand aside, or I will make you." In that moment, as her eyes met Neji's, he had no doubt that she could have followed through with her threat – even if he had been uninjured. He stared at her for a moment before bowing and stepping aside, keeping his head lowered long after she had gone.

The infirmary had been set up as an attached building on the outer wall of the arena, likely as a temporary facility for the exam. Hinata leapt onto the stone exterior of the amphitheater, sprinting up the side and activating her Byakugan as she reached the top. She willed herself not to look towards where she knew Naruto's body was, focusing instead on the three familiar forms fighting below. Shukaku had moved from the area; she could see him dancing in glee as he wrought havoc further into the city. She set her jaw and jumped, sliding down the length of the wall before rushing to rejoin her broken team.

Sasuke spotted Hinata first after tearing viciously through an enemy shinobi's throat with his wakizashi. Even from that distance he could see her empty eyes, and the sight caused him to choke out a curse. He'd been allowed only a second to register Naruto's death before they were attacked again, forcing his attention elsewhere. Haku and Kakashi seemed entirely unaffected, but he knew all too well how adept the older shinobi were at hiding their emotions.

"Hinata, behind–" Kakashi barked, but he stopped as the pair of Oto-nin approaching behind Hinata fell. She hadn't broken her stride, and her features remained unchanged even as two kunai left her hand – thrown _backwards._ A breath later they were buried to the hilt in one of each of the oncoming ninjas' eyes. "–you." Kakashi had only a few seconds to watch Hinata before he was engaged in combat once again, but in that short time he had observed his student becoming something he had never wanted to see. _Damn it . . . Damn it!_

"Katon: Flame Contagion!" Sasuke snarled, facing down a group of approaching shinobi. A blast of fire shot from his palm and crashed into the leading ninja. The man screamed and fell writhing to the ground, and though his allies ignored their fallen comrade the hungry flames wouldn't allow them to pass. Sparks erupted from the burning corpse, striking those nearby and spreading further. Before the rest had even realized what was happening the jutsu had consumed them all. The last of the anguished cries faded as Sasuke released the technique, and after the orange glow had diminished all that remained were twelve unrecognizable, ashen forms.

"Hakke: Ethereal Senbon!" Hinata was battling her own share of adversaries on Kakashi's other side, but they were falling one by one as needles of chakra struck their vital points with unerring precision. A dozen Sound ninjas fell to her ability before another voice was heard, just behind Kakashi.

"Hijutsu: Ice Graveyard!" The last group – a squadron of Sand shinobi – was cautiously approaching after witnessing the others perish. As they came near the ground underfoot turned from hard dirt to ice, and those that didn't fall slid across the slick surface. In seconds the ice latched onto its victims, rooting them as the jutsu crept up their limbs. They panicked and tried to flee, but it was futile. After a short time all that remained were frozen statues, which shattered a moment later following a hand seal from Haku.

The war-torn arena floor quieted after Kakashi dispatched the few remaining enemies. He landed lightly back in position, his back facing the other three in a manji formation. His eyes traveled warily around before he straightened, tugging his forehead protector back down over his left eye. "Hinata – status."

"Sections A, B, C, and E are clear. Team Gai and several chuunin are eliminating the last threats in Section D. ANBU have surrounded the barrier on the roof; the Hokage is still fighting inside." Kakashi muttered a curse but nodded, purposefully avoiding looking towards Naruto. The others were doing the same, though now that their lives weren't in immediate danger reality was coming back for a hard hit.

"Haku, go release all of the villagers you can from the genjutsu and escort them to safety. You two come with me; we need to join the main forces and . . ." Kakashi trailed off as a chill ran down his spine. _What . . ._

All eyes turned finally to the scene they had been avoiding, to Naruto's corpse that still hung from Shukaku's spikes. Vermilion chakra was oozing from his wounds and pooling below, beginning to move in a sluggish circle as it rose gradually around him. Hinata took in a sharp, choking breath before taking several hurried steps forward, but Kakashi's hand fell heavy on her shoulder.

"Stop," he said in a low, harsh tone. Despite herself Hinata froze, the urgency in her teacher's voice piercing through her overwhelming anxiety. "This chakra feels . . . Different from the kind Naruto uses. It's almost like . . ." _Like it was on that day._

The ground began to tremble, and the thickening air filled with a low, resonating hum. More chakra was pouring from Naruto, becoming brighter by the second. It was leaking out of his skin now, enveloping him in a dense shroud of energy. The rotating chakra began to accelerate, spiraling higher and higher around him with every passing moment until it disappeared from sight. Shukaku's spikes disintegrated in the tempest, leaving Naruto suspended in the middle of the whirlwind of power. Wind picked up along with it, sending hurricane gales in every direction.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled, shielding her eyes as debris scattered all around. Even with her Byakugan she could hardly see through the mass of chakra, but just before it became too dense to pierce she saw Naruto's eyes snap open, and her blood froze in her veins. Staring back at her was a pair of wide, alien eyes, devoid of anything but a blinding, bloodthirsty red light that seemed to burn straight to her soul. She let out a strangled sob and fell to her knees, shaking.

"Get back!" Kakashi yelled, already lifting Hinata and turning to sprint away from Naruto. "It's the Kyuubi – _the Kyuubi!_" It was exactly the same as twelve years ago; it was the same unfathomable, malevolent chakra of the nine-tailed fox.

They had almost made it to the far wall of the arena when the ground rippled beneath their feet. A deafening thunderclap pierced through the howling wind, and the air began to crackle as the incredible chakra reached its peak. Hinata's eyes were locked on the column of red-orange light, trying desperately to see through it with her Byakugan despite being terrified of what she might see. Kakashi pressed on, leading them up the wall and only stopping once he reached the top.

Everything became very still a moment later. The dust and rubble settled to the ground, the wind died down, and the earth ceased its shaking. Shukaku's rampage could be heard once again, as well as the shouts and explosions from nearby battles. Kakashi turned, still holding Hinata, and both Haku and Sasuke followed his gaze back to the harsh beam of light – back to where Naruto should have been. The pillar of chakra was collapsing, but instead of falling back into itself it was expanding, writhing and distorting rapidly. At first it appeared to be a formless mass of energy, but once it reached the height of the outer wall its true shape became clear.

"Ancestors preserve us . . ." Kakashi whispered, his eye wide as nine distinct tails stretched towards the sky. The body of chakra was elongating now, stretching opposite the tails to form the head and torso of a giant fox. Four sets of claws touched down on what remained of the arena floor. Up until that point the entire being had been wrought of pure, red chakra, but as the fox's silhouette completed the power began to flow away. The liquid energy melted off to reveal the last thing any citizen of Konoha would ever want to see.

"Kyuubi no Kitsune . . ." Sasuke had been the one to voice in awe what they all had been dreading to recognize. The beast's back reached Shukaku's standing height, towering above the amphitheater. Its head was the closest to them, and though it was at least a dozen meters above they could clearly see its eyes easing open. Two spheres of deep crimson blinked once, and then the Kyuubi let out a thunderous, barking laugh.

"Run!" Kakashi yelled, but before he could pivot to leap from the tower a deep, growling voice invaded his mind and stopped him in his tracks. Sasuke and Haku had similar reactions, and Hinata could only stare wide-eyed up at the fox.

"_**Stay where you are, mortals,"**_ Kurama rumbled, lowering his head so that his eyes were level with them. _**"Unless you want this child to die."**_

"Naruto's alive?" Sasuke blurted out, hope causing him to momentarily forget his fear. Hinata took in a sharp breath and struggled in Kakashi's arms until he numbly set her down. She took several quick steps towards the Kyuubi, heedless of the potential danger. Kurama's eyes narrowed and focused on the girl approaching his snout, and the barest smirk pulled at his expression.

"_**Ah, his girlfriend, the Hyuuga – Hinata, was it?" **_Hinata's face turned ashen and she stopped, wavering on her feet before nodding slowly. _**"And Sasuke, the Uchiha boy. Hatake Kakashi, the infamous Copy Ninja, too. Even the new Haku kid is here." **_Each of them nodded in turn; they didn't dare turn and flee, especially after hearing that Naruto might be alive.

"Is Naruto-kun still alive, K-Kyuubi-sama?" Hinata stammered, desperate to get the words out. Kurama rolled his eyes and snorted.

"_**Can't you humans communicate without using your mouths?"**_ he asked, annoyed. _**"If Naruto could figure it out, I'm sure you can." **_Hinata's lips parted to respond, then closed again. The Kyuubi smirked and shook its head. _**"I suppose there's not time for that – he needs your help.**_

_**Naruto let me out himself, because it was his only chance to live. He clings to a thread between life and death, barely holding on through his own strength of will. I am using my chakra to mend his most grievous injuries, but without help he will be lost, and I along with him."**_

"W-what do we need to do?" Hinata's voice was high and filled with fear, but she forced herself to keep her eyes on the Kyuubi's. If there was a chance to save Naruto, she would do anything.

"_**His body is contained within mine now, absorbing my chakra. You have some skill with healing, girl, as does your teacher. I can push Naruto to the surface and allow the two of you to assist in his mending, but you will need to work fast and hang on while we move."**_

"Move?" Sasuke asked dubiously. "Where are you going?"

"_**Do you see another bijuu around that can put that mad tanuki in its place?" **_Kurama growled. Sasuke blanched and took a step back. _**"I'm going to force him out of the city and deal with him there. Any questions?"**_ Everyone but Kakashi shook their head quickly, and the jounin instead took in a deep, calming breath before turning to Haku.

"Haku, help escort the villagers like I asked."

"But–" Haku started, but Kakashi cut him off.

"Your duty as a shinobi of the Leaf is to protect the citizens of Konoha, first and foremost. Don't let me down." Even Hinata turned from the Kyuubi to look back at Kakashi, startled at his words. Haku blinked at the man for a few seconds before smiling faintly, vanishing in a frosty mist a moment later. "Kyuubi no Kitsune," Kakashi continued reverently, turning to bow towards the colossal beast. "I have one request before we go."

"_**Make it quick; our lives lay in the balance."**_

"All I ask is that you destroy the structure behind you before we leave the area," he continued quickly, nodding towards the indicated tower. Atop the building was Orochimaru's barrier, as well as the group of ANBU that were now trying to split their attention between Kurama and the field maintained by the four Oto-nin. "The Hokage is trapped inside–"

A single tail swept down and across the midsection of the building, tearing it in half and sending a landslide of splintered wood and shattered stone cascading to the ground. Another tail ripped through the upper section, and a moment later the barrier flickered and died as the roof split on its way to the ground.

"_**Satisfied? Let's go." **_Kakashi shut his still open mouth, rousing himself to follow the Kyuubi's orders. It was unnerving to approach the beast, but there was no way he would allow Naruto to die without doing everything he could to prevent it.

Hinata made the jump first, leaping from the top of the wall and alighting on the bridge of Kurama's nose. The moment she made contact she could feel its breath passing beneath her feet, a veritable typhoon of air being drawn in and pushed out every few seconds. Sasuke and Kakashi landed soon after, and she shook herself and hurriedly ran up between the Kyuubi's burning eyes. They reached the back of his neck and stopped when he spoke again.

"_**There will be best. You'd best use plenty of chakra to hold on; this won't be a smooth ride."**_ They knelt and began to channel as much energy as they could spare to their feet, and were glad of it a breath later when Kurama lurched forward to bound through the hole Shukaku had left in the wall. His voice continued to echo in their minds, eerily clear alongside the wind rushing past. _**"Uchiha, you'll have your part to play as well."**_

"_Me?"_ Sasuke asked, directing his thoughts rather than his voice; words would be useless at such high speeds.

"_**Looks like you figured it out," **_the Kyuubi mused. _**"While they work to heal Naruto, you'll follow my lead. Shukaku might be the weakest of the bijuu, but he's not as foolish as he appears. His body is made of sand, making him virtually impossible to kill, so we must aim for his jinchuuriki. While the medium sleeps, Shukaku roams free."**_

"_Gaara is inside of Shukaku too? Where?"_

"_**Either the forehead or chest cavity. I'll do my part in exposing the kid; you need to do yours in killing him while I hold the opening."**_ Sasuke nodded, setting himself with grim, determined features. His eyes gleamed with the red of the Sharingan, each iris inlaid with three black tomoe. _**"He's coming out; be ready."**_

Hinata and Kakashi tensed as the fur at the center of the Kyuubi's neck rippled and distended. The first thing they saw was a familiar shock of blond hair, and Hinata had to suppress her swelling tears. A moment later she had to hold back a wave of nausea as the rest of Naruto's broken body emerged. Much of the right half of his torso was still missing, exposing his regenerating organs to the air. The Kyuubi's chakra coated everything like a film, gradually stitching flesh back together and using Naruto's own cells to recreate what had been lost. His shattered ribcage was creeping back to its original form, curving back over his chest to reattach to his sternum. Even as they watched his previously half-destroyed lung finished forming, matching its partner with extremely shallow inflations.

"_**Neither of you have the skill to fix the serious internal damage; focus on closing the wounds and resealing the abdominal and thoracic cavities, then rebuild the muscles in his torso and arm. I'll handle the nerves." **_Kakashi moved first; Hinata was trapped staring in pained horror for several long seconds before her teacher brought her back to her senses.

"Hinata, we don't have time to spare. Help me." She shivered and moved unsteadily to her fallen friend, forcing all abject thoughts from her mind and kneeling at Naruto's side opposite Kakashi. He nodded to her and placed his hands over one half of Naruto's chest, and Hinata mirrored him. The soft green glow of medical ninjutsu began to flow in alongside the scarlet of Kurama's chakra.

"_**Spare nothing if you want him to have a chance. You have only minutes to provide what aid you can before it's too late." **_Kakashi and Hinata said nothing, but the light from their techniques intensified until it was difficult to look at. Fleshy cavities stretched over the repairing innards, hidden slowly by creeping layers of bone and muscle. The tissues laced themselves together, spurred on by the influx of chakra.

Shukaku loomed ahead, ignorant of the Kyuubi racing towards him in his crazed jubilation. _**"Brace yourselves."**_ The warning came only seconds before Kurama hit the Ichibi, ramming his shoulder into the giant tanuki's back. All three of his passengers had to struggle to keep from being thrown off, and Sasuke even slid several meters up the fox's neck, barely hanging on with one foot. _**"Don't lose focus," **_the fox growled as the force of the impact made Kakashi and Hinata's healing temporarily falter.

The Ichibi was heavy; its entire body seemed to be made of sand, which went a long way in absorbing the blow. He still stumbled and fell, however, causing a minor tremor.

"Kyuubi! Kyuubi!" Shukaku screeched, flowing back to his feet and twisting around. "You came out to play! The medium is dying, yes? You'll follow soon, soon! I'll . . ." Kurama's tails arched up and over his back, pointing towards the Ichibi's chest. A black orb formed and hovered for a split second at the tip of each tail before launching towards their target. As soon as he released them Kurama jumped away, distancing himself as if cautious of his own attack. Shukaku's grin fell, and for the first time he looked annoyed and serious. "You always did try to ruin my fun, fox."

"_Why are we retreating?"_ Sasuke asked, tensing so that his knees wouldn't buckle from the landing. _"Don't we need to get to Gaara as soon as possible?"_

"_**Getting him out of the village first." **_Confused, Sasuke assessed the situation. The border wall was a few hundred meters on Shukaku's other side, and the fox's attack didn't seem like it would be very effective in accomplishing his goal. The orbs were small – maybe two or three meters in diameter each. It wasn't until the Kyuubi slid to a halt and the nine balls of chakra hit that Sasuke understood just how wrong he was.

Shukaku's chest became the epicenter of the largest release of power Sasuke had ever seen. The explosion covered an entire block of buildings, vaporizing them instantly. An instant later a giant black and beige blur flew back from the blinding display of energy, moving far faster than the enormous mass of sand should have been capable. Before the Ichibi's progress had even begun to slow it collided with the thick barrier that marked the edge of Konoha, and it may as well have been made of paper. Shukaku careened through it, cutting a furrow dozens of meters across into the forest beyond. Another earthquake shook the entire village, but after a moment everything seemed oddly quiet. The sounds of fighting had ceased, and the only noticeable ambiance was the sound of fires spreading from the Kyuubi's attack.

"What . . ." Sasuke began, eyes wide as he stared at the destruction.

"_**Bijuudama. A few small ones, anyway; I didn't want to completely destroy that half of the village."**_

"A few small ones . . ." Sasuke said faintly. _This is so far beyond our level that I can't even begin to fathom their power._

"_**We're going. Remember the plan." **_Kurama dug his claws into a few collapsed homes and took off after his quarry, and Sasuke finally got ahold of himself enough to look around in the brief moments before they barreled through the newly created city exit. The arena was now a battered ruin, and the area surrounding it appeared to be in the same condition. Little damage had been done where buildings had not been flattened by one of the two tailed beasts. In the distance, however, towards the north wall Sasuke could make out three huge snakes wreaking havoc. The last thing he saw before leaving Konoha was a toad – nearly as tall as the Kyuubi – appear and crush one of the reptiles.

The world lurched to one side as Kurama jumped right, narrowly avoiding a barrage of familiar wind attacks. Shukaku came into view as he was getting back to his feet, towering ten times the height of the surrounding trees. Sand littered the area around the tailed beast, fully covering the treetops as it writhed and flowed back into its host. The Ichibi's chest had been collapsed inward, and a few rays of light poked through holes in the deepest sections. He looked _furious._

"_**The jinchuuriki must be inside of his head. Be ready," **_the Kyuubi cautioned the group, leaping towards the sand monstrosity. Kakashi and Hinata braced themselves, and Sasuke dropped to his knees to take hold of two tufts of fur, channeling more chakra into his grip.

Shukaku swung his tail around, intercepting the fox's extended paw. As Kurama's claws drove forward sand shot from the Ichibi's tail, rapidly consuming his wrist. The Kyuubi snarled and raked at the sand with free claw, wrenching the other away and bounding back.

"What's wrong, Kyuubi?" Shukaku sneered, whipping his tail back. "I thought having nine tails made you the stronger one!" He opened his mouth wide, and countless globules of black and blue chakra began to merge together. The result was a sphere identical to the ones the Kyuubi had cast, except this one was much, much larger. Without preamble the attack was launched at Kurama, aimed at his feet.

Kurama pivoted, only having time to take a short running leap to one side before the Bijuudama made contact. The detonation that followed could only be described as catastrophic in scale; if it had gone off within Konoha's walls it would have easily destroyed half of the village. The Kyuubi's size allowed it to cover a score of acres in a single jump, but even that was not enough to avoid the blast completely. The incredible force hit while he was in mid-air, and it was a struggle to keep from tumbling aside. Kurama managed to land hard on his feet, uprooting a few hundred trees as he slid across the ground.

_**Damn the Fourth for sealing away the other half of my chakra, **_the Kyuubi thought bitterly, his fangs parting as a bright red light formed within his mouth. An instant later he was on the move, sprinting in a wide arc around Shukaku and releasing a continuous stream of oblong crimson bullets. Where they struck columns of brilliant light erupted into the sky, and before long dark clouds began to gather overhead.

"_Are those . . . Fire techniques?"_ Sasuke asked, squinting up at the sky through the rushing wind. The fox didn't respond, but the way that weather was changing was answer enough. He looked back to Shukaku, noting that despite their power the Kyuubi's attacks were barely moving the beast. The tanuki didn't even bother blocking them, allowing the abilities to take out huge chunks of his would-be flesh.

"_**Shukaku's strength lies in his body's constitution, but it is also his weakness. While he is nearly impossible to harm, his movements are sluggish. I'm going in to make the opening."**_ Kurama changed course then, bounding towards the Ichibi and letting loose several more blasts of chakra. He held the last one longer, concentrating more and more energy until it shone bright even through his clenched jaws. With a deafening roar the Kyuubi released it, and this time a _beam_ of energy slashed towards Shukaku rather than another projectile. The stream of fire was infused with immeasurable amounts of chakra, and when it sliced across the Ichibi it cut straight through.

Shukaku screamed in anger as his body was severed from his left shoulder to opposite hip. His tail was caught in the line of fire as well, cut near the middle and falling with his mangled torso. Sand rained across the forest, crushing everything under its weight. Before the Ichibi's upper body had even hit the ground Kurama was upon him, one forepaw stamping down on his attached arm and the other ripping towards his skull. The Kyuubi's claws tore into the sandy shell in two concise strikes, heedless of the flailing mass behind him.

"_**There!"**_ As the second swipe cleared Shukaku's face, Sasuke saw the hard exterior of Gaara's ultimate defense exposed beneath the surface. A moment later the fox grunted and was jerked back; the lower half of the Ichibi's body had reformed into giant clawed hand, and it was now latched on at the base of Kurama's tails. The Kyuubi snarled and dug in his claws, forming yet more chakra in his mouth. _**"Go!" **_he shouted, firing the final bolt straight at Gaara's shell. Sasuke sprinted forward without hesitation, leaping after the fiery blast just as Shukaku overpowered Kurama. The fox was wrenched back and heaved away, crashing to his side.

Sasuke barely had time to hope that Hinata and Kakashi were safe with Naruto before the Kyuubi's attack hit ahead of him. It burst against the hard sand and was scattered, but not before melting a sizeable hole through the shell. As Sasuke fell towards the opening he could see Gaara within, his bloodied body hunched over and struggling to breathe. _The Kyuubi said to kill him, but . . ._ _'While the medium sleeps'._ He only had time for one attack, and if he guessed wrong their entire plan would be for naught. If they didn't defeat Shukaku here and now, not only would Naruto's chance at survival disappear, but the village could be destroyed. Sasuke grit his teeth and pulled the katana from his back, channeling chakra into his hand. Electricity crackled in his palm, racing up the blade as he spun it around. He held the grip with both hands, driving it down towards Gaara's exposed chest – he aimed for the heart.

The tip of the shining steel met the jinchuuriki's chest just as Shukaku's upper body shifted, throwing the attack off course. Sasuke landed hard on the smoldering remains of Gaara's shield, thrusting the sword down as far as it would go. He caught a glimpse of Gaara's eyes flying open, accompanied by a spray of blood from the boy's mouth as he gasped. An instant later Sasuke was thrown through the air as Shukaku screamed and whipped his head up, clawing desperately at his ruined forehead.

"No, no, _no!_ I was out! I want to kill more, I want to _live_ more! Filthy mortals; cursed Kyuubi!" Shukaku swept his arm at Sasuke, who braced himself for the impact. But a moment later the sand was breaking apart, and all that reached him was a broad wave that soon fell in a monstrous heap across the forest below. Sasuke was still travelling in an uncontrolled descent towards the treetops when he hit something surprisingly . . . soft. He rebounded off of it, seeing only a flash of orange before he landed on his back – right into the Kyuubi's open palm.

"_**Good work, kid,"**_ Kurama rumbled, smirking down at Sasuke. _**"That foolish tanuki is already nearly gone." **_It took Sasuke a moment to get his breath back and stand shakily, wincing as a lance of pain shot through one leg. Just as the fox had said, there was little left of Shukaku save for the gradually dissipating sand dunes. It was only then that he could survey the result of a _brief _battle between two tailed beasts. Aside from the trench left behind from Shukaku's initial exit from Konoha, everywhere the two bijuu had tread had left an area barren of trees. The near kilometer-wide crater from the Ichibi's Bijuudama was starting to fill with water, likely as a result of rupturing a natural aquifer deep beneath the surface. Dozens of smaller craters littered the forest as a result of the Kyuubi's fire attacks, and Sasuke could see several patches of forest burning steadily. The dark clouds above sparked with lightning, a precursor to the torrential downpour that began moments after.

"_I don't think I killed him,"_ Sasuke sighed, turning to limp towards Kurama's wrist. _"I aimed to, but Shukaku moved at the last second and I hit his lung instead of his heart."_

"_**One thing both you mortals and we tailed beasts have in common is our drive to live. Shukaku may be mad, but he will do anything to survive, even if it means saving a vessel that he loathes." **_Sasuke nodded absently, too tired to think about much aside from his team's condition. He was completely drained, even after taking the soldier pill earlier. Before he had made it very far the Kyuubi lifted its arm, depositing Sasuke unceremoniously atop its back.

"_How's Naruto?" _he asked after stumbling to keep his balance and starting for where Hinata and Kakashi still knelt healing. As he approached he could see sweat on their brows, and they both looked pale. Naruto's torso was almost completely whole again, and Kakashi was working on stitching his severed arm back together. The blond's breathing was still painfully shallow, but at least he was breathing.

"_**I won't know until I go back to my cage,"**_ Kurama shrugged, starting back for Konoha at a slow walk. Sasuke slumped down next to Hinata as the green glow about her palms flickered and faded. She made a weak, frustrated noise and tried to continue, blinking away tears.

"Stop, Hinata," Kakashi breathed, looking more strained than they had ever seen him. "You'll pass out from chakra exhaustion if you expend any more energy. I can finish this." Hinata looked as if she wanted to argue, but her half-lidded eyes couldn't lie. She wavered as her concentration fell, and Sasuke had to catch her before she could tumble from the fox's back. Kakashi grimaced and moved away from Naruto's mended arm, closing the last gaps in the skin at his side before withdrawing with a heavy sigh. The jounin looked across his fallen student and smiled faintly; Sasuke and Hinata were supporting one another, both determined to stay conscious despite their exhaustion.

"_**His body is nearly repaired; it's now up to him. Let's see if he has the strength break free from the clutches of death." **_Team Seven remained silent in the heavy rain, all watching as Naruto sank back into the Kyuubi. Kakashi turned to observe the ravaged forest, watching the fires dwindle and die around him. Flickers of movement drew his gaze to where Shukaku had been defeated, and he watched as three figures lifted Gaara's bloodied body from the sand before vanishing from sight.

_The battle must be dying down,_ he thought tiredly, turning his eye back to the village. Plumes of smoke rose from many places still, but the giant snakes were nowhere to be seen. Several squads were guarding the gate as they approached, further indicating that the conflict within the walls had been contained. They looked like tiny specks from so high up, but Kakashi could tell that they were panicking and running the moment the Kyuubi came into their view.

"_**Get down; I don't want to deal with your ignorant shinobi trying to attack me." **_Kakashi nodded to Hinata and Sasuke, who rose slowly with him. Kurama hunched his shoulders and lowered himself to the ground, collapsing trees on either side of the broad road with the action. One of the few ninjas still manning the door stared in blatant disbelief as the three passengers disembarked, dropping down from the Kyuubi's nose.

"What . . ." Ibiki started, unable to finish as the fox's annoyed eyes flicked to him. He blanched and backed into the gate, remaining silent. Kakashi gave him a weak smile before turning back to Kurama.

"On behalf of Konoha," the jounin began, bowing deeply, "Thank you, Kyuubi-sama, for aiding our village."

"A-and thank you," Hinata inserted quietly, "For helping Naruto-kun." Sasuke nodded, meeting Kurama's eyes. To their surprise the Kyuubi let out a deep, rumbling chuckle before closing his eyes. A soft orange-red light began to rise from the bijuu then, slowly growing in intensity.

"_**Naruto wasn't lying about you three,"**_ he said, a touch of amusement in his tone. _**"A Hyuuga that lacks her clan's arrogance, a jounin that holds no grudge from my unwilling attack, and an Uchiha whose eyes don't seek to control my power. You're interesting, for mortals. I've never met humans like you."**_ Kurama yawned and stretched as the light reached its brightest, its body shimmering and fading gradually. _**"It was enjoyable getting to stretch my legs for the first time in twelve years. Now don't let this kid try to kill himself again, or I'll be back to give you hell."**_ A moment later the Kyuubi was gone, leaving behind only a few stray shimmers of chakra and a single prone form in the middle of the road: Naruto.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"How many times am I going to wake up here?" Naruto mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes and sitting up in the all-too familiar watery room. "Didn't you just say 'see you on the other side'? This is the same side."

"_**You're still not conscious, idiot,"**_ the Kyuubi said blandly, blinking its eyes open from beyond the sealed gate. _**"But it appears you survived."**_

"Er . . . What do you mean?"

"_**Your soul has been flirting with the boundary between this life and the next for nearly five days. Normally a part of you is always present here, but even that was absent."**_

"Oh," Naruto started, not entirely sure what the fox meant. He remembered why he was going to die, and the Kyuubi's plan to save him, but little beyond that. It was all just murky blackness. "Sorry if you got lonely while I was gone," he continued, smirking. "What happened while I was, uh . . . nearly dead?" Kurama rolled his eyes, but didn't keep the tale from the boy.

"Whoa. You came out and fought the Ichibi? And Kakashi-sensei, Hinata-chan, and Sasuke all rode on your back?!"

"_**Your ability to ignore major ideas and get stuck in the pointless details never ceases to annoy me."**_

"Whatever," Naruto scowled, but before long he kept on asking for said 'pointless details', mostly on how Sasuke had defeated Gaara and the abilities Kurama and Shukaku had traded. He was silent for a long while after the Kyuubi explained how much time and chakra Hinata and Kakashi had spent in healing him. "Everybody's safe though, right?"

"_**Your team is, at least. I can't say about the rest of your friends or the villagers, but the casualties certainly range in the hundreds. It was a large scale assault, and Shukaku likely racked up his own toll before I got him away from the city."**_

"Thank you for that, by the way," Naruto said with an appreciative grin. "I know you didn't have to do it, and it sounded pretty troublesome." Kurama only snorted, closing his eyes again.

"_**Get some rest; you may be back here, but that doesn't mean you'll come out of your coma." **_Naruto's expression sobered and he nodded, wading over to the gate and sliding down with his back to it.

"Kurama," he began after a few minutes, staring off into the darkness. "I heard . . . something while I was gone. They were voices, and they were calling my name." One of the Kyuubi's eyes cracked open, looking down at the boy.

"_**You were very close to death. I wouldn't be surprised if you heard some of the deceased calling to you."**_

"They were my parents' voices." Kurama blinked both eyes open at that. "I don't know how I know, but I just . . . I know it was them." Naruto was quiet for a time, struggling to find the words he desperately wanted to get out. "You told me . . . that you know who my parents are."

"_**I told you that I killed your parents,"**_ the Kyuubi corrected bluntly, and Naruto recoiled at the words. After a moment Kurama sighed and softened his tone; he knew what the boy was after. _**"Your mother's name was Uzumaki Kushina, and she was the second jinchuuriki that I was sealed into." **_Naruto froze and stopped breathing, and almost immediately his eyes and throat began to burn. _**"Your father's name was Namikaze Minato, the fourth Hokage of Konohagakure." **_Tears were already flowing unashamedly down Naruto's cheeks, dripping steadily into the water below.

"Can you . . ." he started, trying to hold back his choking tears long enough to make his request. "I know you . . . that you killed them, and it's not something that can be changed. B-but if you were sealed inside of my mom, you'd know a lot about her and my dad, right?" He sniffed and turned to look up at the fox, his eyes pained and pleading. "I just want to know . . . what my parents were like."

Kurama was silent for a very long time, eyes having moved from Naruto's to stare off into open space. He didn't need to indulge the child; it might even be better not to. But he had lived through Naruto's anguish as well. Perhaps at the time he hadn't noticed it, but looking back it had been all too real. Mortals valued those that brought them into the world the same way the tailed beasts did their creator. To deny Naruto such a thing would only be cruel. _**We've got time anyway,**_ he reasoned, though he wasn't fooling himself in the least.

"_**I know more of Kushina than Minato, but I will tell you what I know of them, up until the day they died protecting you, twelve years ago."**_ Naruto didn't bother with stifling his tears as the Kyuubi began, realizing now what the fox had truly meant before. _Sometimes being the one who lives is being the one who loses the most._ He now understood how Hinata must have felt. Even though he hadn't fully seen it until then, he had been feeling the same way his entire life.

* * *

/*\

* * *

It had been a calm night in Konoha, the first in the week since the attack. The artificial storm had caused it to rain for days, and a natural front had swept in afterward to continue its work. Naruto watched out of the hospital window as a grey morning began to break over the city. Signs of the battle were readily visible even there; Shukaku had come within a block of the hospital before Kurama had ejected him from the village. The rubble had been cleaned up by dedicated crews working through the rain, but it would be a long while before all of the damage would be repaired. Houses just across the street had been crushed by the bijuu's titanic conflict, and Naruto had recently learned that some had still been occupied at the time.

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked sleepily, rubbing at her eyes as she lifted her head from the pillow beside him. Just as he had stayed by her side when she had been in the hospital, Hinata had remained with Naruto through his time there. He had been greeted the day before by her tearful embrace, and he couldn't have imagined a better way to come back to reality.

"I'm okay, just thinking," he responded truthfully, refocusing on the window rather than what was outside of it. His reflection stared back at him, and it was an image he was still trying to get used to. "Kurama said that there would be consequences beyond the physical scars. I guess I just wasn't expecting . . . this." Hinata nibbled thoughtfully on her lower lip as she sat up, leaning against the headboard beside Naruto and blocking his view of the window. She turned slightly to face him, undeterred by the pair of dark red eyes looking back at her. Then she lifted her hand and tapped his cheek with her fingers, smiling gently.

"Remember what you told me in the woods, just before the first exam?" Naruto glanced down at her hand, then back up as the memory came back. Hinata continued when she saw that he remembered, still holding a small smile. "I'm not going to smack any sense into you, Naruto-kun – not in that way at least. But you were right: I _do _know you, and I know that just because your eyes look different and your teeth got a little sharper, it doesn't mean you're not yourself anymore."

"And I have to cut my nails almost every day." He smirked wryly, lifting a hand and examining the tips of his fingers. Though he had filed them the night before, his thickened nails had already begun to extend into points like miniature claws. He took Hinata's hand after a moment, giving it a light squeeze. "Thanks, Hinata-chan. I know I'm still me; it's just taking some getting used to, I guess." She nodded and returned the gesture, blushing lightly and turning her eyes to his hair.

"I do like your hair, though; it's so subtle I almost missed it at first." Naruto grinned then, running his spare hand through his spiky blond locks. The roots had been turned a bright reddish hue, but seemed to go no further than a centimeter past his scalp.

"I like it, too. The Kyuubi said it's almost the same color as my mom's hair. It's like I've got a little bit of both of my parents up here now." He tapped his head, and though Hinata could see the faraway sadness in his eyes, there was also an abundance of joy. Before she could ask after another story about his parents, however, a knock came at the door. Hinata glanced over at it, wondering who might be checking up on Naruto at such an early hour.

"Come in," Naruto called, making a face at Hinata before the door opened. "The medic-nin said I could leave today; are you here to . . ." He trailed off as a man stepped into the room, and immediately stiffened upon recognizing the high brow and intense white eyes.

"Greetings, Uzumaki Naruto," Hiashi said sedately. To Naruto's surprise – and Hinata's shock – he bowed, and the action didn't appear forced in any way. He turned his eyes to his daughter, and for the first time in her life she could see regret and pain behind his impassive features. He inclined his head to her as well, voice becoming lower. "Greetings, Hyuuga Hinata. I've come to speak with both of you, if I may."

"Ano . . ." Naruto began, glancing quickly to Hinata. She had tensed immediately upon seeing Hiashi, and was still gripping Naruto's hand tightly. She nodded slowly to her father, then again to Naruto. "Sure, Hiashi-sama. What did you need to talk about?" He had trouble addressing the man with such reverence after hearing about what he had put Hinata through, but if she was willing to hear him out he wouldn't be rude.

"I . . ." Hiashi hesitated, taking in a deep breath and smoothing his expression over. "I came to thank you, Naruto, for saving my daughter's life." Naruto blinked at him several times, processing the expression of gratitude. "And I also came to apologize for the opinion I have held of you up until now. It was unfair of me to judge you so harshly, especially after Hinata had tried to convince me otherwise."

"Ah, no problem, sir." Naruto didn't know what to say beyond that, struck dumb by the sudden and sincere apology. Hiashi nodded, then turned his eyes back to Hinata.

"Hinata, I . . . I have treated you unfairly as well. No," he corrected, grimacing and shaking his head. "I have wronged you terribly, and failed you as a father in my blindness. I wished only to make you strong, not realizing that you were becoming so on your own. In my folly I cast you from our clan. I wanted you to stay away from Naruto because I thought him dangerous, but I see now that I was a fool all along." Hinata took in a sharp breath as Hiashi lowered himself to the floor, prostrating himself before the two of them. When he spoke his voice nearly shook, stricken with emotion. "I know it is selfish of me . . . but I ask your forgiveness, daughter."

Hinata was silent for a time, and the seconds dragged by until she slid off of the bed, stepping over to her father and kneeling in front of him. When she finally spoke her voice was calm and gentle, though edged with the same tearful emotions that Hiashi's was. "I forgive you, father; of course I forgive you. Please stand up." He straightened slowly, and when she met his eyes they were shimmering with unshed tears. Without waiting for him to rise Hinata shifted her weight and fell forward into him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a firm hug. Hiashi stiffened, staring over her head in surprise as if unsure how to react. His eyes fell on Naruto, who was smiling at the two of them as he mouthed the words 'hug her back', miming the action. The man blinked a few times before raising his arms and following the boy's advice, pulling Hinata close to him and returning the embrace with more fervor than either of them had expected. Several minutes and many sniffles later they separated, standing together.

"I have one more thing to tell you – both of you," Hiashi said after a deep breath, turning first to his daughter. "I wish to reinstate you as heiress to the Hyuuga clan, Hinata, and welcome you back to the estate. I know that I may be too late to mend the damage that I have caused, but the choice is yours to make." Hinata bit her lip and looked back at Naruto, though he only shrugged and smiled at her.

"May I have some time to think it over?" she asked hesitantly. Hiashi bowed again, and Hinata felt another surge of emotion at his unexpected understanding.

"Naruto," he continued, turning to face the boy and inclining his head once more. "The Hyuuga will recognize you and Uchiha Sasuke as friends of our clan, and you are both welcome in our homes from this day forward. Should you ever find yourself in need of our aid, we will provide it without hesitation." More than any other of Hiashi's statements, this choked Naruto up the most. It was a simple show of appreciation, he knew, but he was being accepted. Not only that, but he was being called a friend of the most influential clan in Konoha.

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama," Naruto said gruffly, bowing as best he could from his bed. Hiashi returned the gesture, and then moved to place a hand on Hinata's shoulder. He offered her a kind smile before turning to depart, closing the door silently behind him. Both Hinata and Naruto watched the door for some time before she finally shivered and returned to the bed, though she lingered without getting in.

"I guess things might be changing soon," she said quietly, turning towards the window.

"I guess so," Naruto agreed, watching as the first rays of sunlight began to spill over the horizon. "Some things don't ever change though, right?" He could see the corner of Hinata's lips quirk up in a small smile, and as she nodded he was struck anew by a thought that had been plaguing him since he had intercepted Shukaku's attack. He flushed as he spoke up again, and his heart rate sped up without warning. "Hey, ah . . ." She turned to look at him, and his blush deepened as he searched for the right words. "I . . . I heard what you said, just after . . ." He trailed off, and recognition caused Hinata's cheeks to color a brilliant shade of red. She turned away hurriedly, and Naruto couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked silhouetted against the rising sun. An impulse took hold of him, and before he could lose his nerve he reached out for Hinata's hand, pulling her off balance. She turned in the middle of her fall, eyes growing wide in surprise as his other arm swept around her waist and pulled her to him.

Time stopped as Hinata caught herself on his chest, and Naruto's lips touched her own in a soft, infinitely delicate kiss. Her eyes grew wider still, and before her mind could stop racing he broke the contact, leaving her stunned and staring at his reddened features.

"S-sorry," he stammered. Hinata came back to herself long enough to realize that Naruto looked distraught; he felt _guilty_ for having kissed her. She hesitated only a fraction of a second before making a faint, reassuring sound and pressing forward again. Her eyes eased shut, and her entire body relaxed. Her hands crept over his shoulders and laced behind his neck, pulling her closer to him and deepening the embrace. What began as a tentative, fragile thing gradually became more intimate. It was as simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying as she had ever imagined it would be, and though it was awkward and full of inexperience, it was _real, _and it was _theirs_.

Neither of them had a clue how much time passed, but when their lips finally, reluctantly parted the sun was clearly visible above the horizon. Their eyes opened gradually, and Hinata found herself looking into the slit-like pupils of Naruto's new eyes. _But they're still his,_ she thought distantly, reaching up to touch his cheek. He grinned sheepishly, and after a few seconds of staring Hinata blushed and buried her face in his chest. She lowered her hands and let them snake around behind him, not willing to let go just yet. Naruto wrapped both arms around her waist and held on tight, speaking softly into her ear words that she had been waiting so long to hear.

"I love you too, Hinata-chan."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Heya folks. Surprise!

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that it makes up for the terrible cliffhanger from the last. I thank everybody for the super nice reviews and messages regarding this last arc; it was incredibly fun to write.

Now, I know there's no way for me to really prove it, but I've actually had all of this planned out since the around the beginning of July, written down in my "Future Fic Ideas" document; it was in no way influenced by the introduction of Kurama's name in the anime canon. You can ask Rhi; she's been tortured with knowing exactly what was going to happen for almost two months. D=  
[**Rhi Note: **Except for the kiss. I didn't know about that _and I am still overwhelmed._]

Speaking of Rhi, a hearty thanks to her as always for her fantastic editing. Thank you all again for reading, reviewing, following, favoriting, and **especially**for waiting almost two hundred thousand words for Naruto and Hinata to become "official", at least in the sense that they finally confessed to one another. It was a process, but one I struggled in every single chapter to make natural and realistic, and I really hope it was worth the wait for you; it certainly was for me.

See you next time!

- Wes


	18. Learning Curves

**Chapter 18 – Learning Curves**

"Ow," Hinata gasped, pulling back sharply. Naruto blinked his eyes open when he felt her withdraw, and he noted the red droplets on her lower lip immediately. The blond licked his own lips; the metallic taste of blood was unmistakable, and it was getting to be all too familiar.

"Fangs again?" he asked quietly, sounding crestfallen. Hinata looked apologetic even as her tongue poked out at him, displaying a small cut at its tip. She rested her head back in the long grass and flushed lightly.

"It's not that bad," she assured him, tapping a finger to the small injury. A tiny green light sparked at her fingertip, and in a few seconds there was no sign of the cut. "See? Besides, I'm still getting used to . . . this," Hinata continued, gesturing vaguely at everything and nothing at the same time. While she had meant the recent influx in intimacy – _especially _this kind of intimacy – Naruto took it as his cue to roll off into the grass beside her. She blinked and squinted at the sun, something he had been inadvertently blocking for her a moment before.

"I am too," he sighed, flopping onto his back. "You know I bit through my lip again this morning after breakfast? And I'm still not used to seeing myself in the mirror, and . . ." Naruto trailed off as Hinata sat up next to him. She leaned over and placed a very soft kiss on his lips, unabashed in her show of affection.

"I meant that I'm getting used to _that,_" she said with a giggle, moving to lay her head on his shoulder. One hand rested on his chest, over the area where his shirt hid the worst of the scarring. When she had seen it for the first time Hinata had nearly fainted. Naruto shifted the arm she was using as a pillow, wrapping it around her back and resting his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Oh," he responded after a long pause, glad she couldn't see his blush. "Yeah, that too." Hinata smiled and snuggled closer against his side. Things had been like this since Naruto had been released from the hospital a few days before, which had been long overdue. Even though there had been nothing physically wrong with him, the medic-nin had insisted on keeping him there for an extensive battery of tests, likely to figure out _why_ he was okay after what he had gone through. But at least he was out now, and every chance they got Naruto and Hinata would slip away to one of the more remote training grounds.

"Twenty-eight today?" Sasuke sighed from behind them. Before, the couple might have scrambled apart – but such a time had long since passed. Hinata looked up and gave their friend a sheepish smile while Naruto tilted his head back and smirked at the other boy.

"We've only been here an hour," Naruto said affably, stifling a yawn. "If you get any faster at finding us we'll never get any alone time." Sasuke rolled his eyes and sat down on the blond's other side.

"Kakashi-sensei wanted me to come get you two. We've got that debriefing with the Hokage in thirty minutes, remember?"

"We were going to meet you there on time," Naruto said defensively, though there wasn't quite enough conviction in his voice to persuade Sasuke. "Right, Hinata?"

"Of course," she confirmed, covering her mouth with one hand and trying not to laugh. She got control of her expression quickly, however, flushing when she heard him say her name. It had felt like such a natural transition after that morning in the hospital. They were 'officially dating' now, as Sasuke liked to point out, and along with that fact came a slew of things neither of them had thought about, including the way they addressed each other now. It hadn't been something that required discussion; it was just 'Hinata' and 'Naruto' now. "Where's Haku-chan?" she asked after a moment, glancing around. "Aren't you two always together?"

"He's running some errands," Sasuke replied nonchalantly, ignoring the grin spreading across Naruto's face. "He'll meet us there."

"When're you going to say something to him, Sasuke?" the blond probed. "Even if you don't like him like that, it's obvious that he has feelings for you."

"Being in a relationship doesn't make you an expert on other peoples' feelings, jerk. And I never bothered either of _you_ about your budding romance over the last few years." He flashed a smirk at the pair, who were – as expected – quickly turning red. "Besides, even if I did like Haku, I don't have time for that."

"We make time, even if it's not a lot," Hinata said slowly, trying not to blush any more than she already was. "Iruka-sensei always says to make the most of life, especially as a shinobi. Our lives have the potential to be far too short, and I know I'd regret it if I didn't get to . . . t-to love somebody." Naruto nodded and squeezed her hand, drawing a faint smile back to her lips. The harsh memory of almost losing him was still far too fresh in their minds, proven further by Sasuke's lack of response.

"Maybe you just haven't met the right person yet," Naruto suggested as he stood, helping Hinata to her feet. "How did your second date with Sakura-san go?"

"It was fine, I think," Sasuke shrugged noncommittally as he followed their lead. "I think she's finally gotten over her infatuation and lost some interest, though."

"Well, you are _really_ boring," Naruto quipped, earning him a light punch to his shoulder. He chuckled before continuing, lacing his fingers with Hinata's as they started back towards town. "But alright, I won't bother you about it. Much."

"I think you should give it one more try, at least." The two boys glanced at Hinata when she offered her suggestion, each raising a surprised eyebrow. "J-just to be sure, I mean! I just think that . . . maybe you're not giving it a fair chance because it didn't start as a real date. You only went out with her the first time because you wanted to teach Ino-san a lesson, remember?" Sasuke considered that for a few seconds before shrugging again.

"I guess so. I'll think about it."

They walked together towards the Hokage's tower, discussing their plans for the afternoon's training. There had been little time for much outside of helping clean up the village after the attack, but Team Seven always managed to find a way to fit training in. Hinata and Naruto also made time to spend together every day, even if it was only a few short minutes.

"Hey," Naruto waved as they turned onto a main street, flagging down a clone that was trotting by. His bunshin slid to a halt, fumbling with and nearly dropping the buckets of nails he was carrying.

"What? I'm busy here!" the clone snapped. Naruto blinked, donning an annoyed expression after recovering from the momentary surprise.

"I'm just checking to see how things are going, jerk! For the half that haven't been dispersed, at least."

"Oh, you mean the ones that people haven't destroyed yet?" The copy was obviously irate, and Naruto couldn't help but sigh and shrug.

"Alright, whatever; just keep helping out."

"Yeah, yeah. By the way, I think one of the others snuck off with her clone," the bunshin said with a devious grin, nodding at Hinata. Her face reddened immediately, and Naruto's mouth worked like he was trying to find something to say. They caught each other's eye and looked away quickly, silently agreeing _not_ to release those clones until absolutely necessary. The bunshin snickered, but a moment later a copy of Sasuke ran by carrying a stack of wooden planks. The fake Uchiha flicked Naruto's doppelganger as he passed, smirking all the while. The blond winced, then scowled. "Hey!" Completely forgetting the trio in front of him, the clone turned and raced after the fleeing offender.

"Is there really no way to control their personalities?" Sasuke sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and looking a little self-conscious. "Hinata and I only made two each, and both of mine were . . . Pretty strange."

"If there is, I haven't figured it out," Naruto huffed, trying not to let his embarrassment show.

"People are still afraid, aren't they?" Hinata asked quietly after they began walking again. Her hold on Naruto's hand tightened slightly as she made her inquiry, already knowing what answer would be coming.

"Can you blame them?" Naruto responded dryly, flashing a small smile at her. His red eyes flashed in the sunlight, and one of his fangs was visible before his grin faded. "From what you and Kakashi-sensei told me, there would have been a lot of ANBU and chuunin that saw me transform, and now I look like this. And there's always the fact that–"

"You didn't kill anybody," Sasuke interjected evenly before Naruto could finish. "The collateral damage was unfortunate, but it was unavoidable." He cast his friend a sharp look, though it only earned him a shrug in return. "Even if they don't get it, you should know that there would have been a lot more casualties if Kurama hadn't gotten Shukaku away."

_**It's terribly flattering how your acquaintances refer so casually to the Kyuubi no Kitsune, **_the Fox drawled.

_Hey, it's better than having to say 'Kyuubi' or 'the Fox' all the time. And if you missed it, Sasuke basically just _thanked _you._ Naruto received only a low, dissatisfied growl in response. "I know that. It's just . . . hard to blame them for not liking me now. Before they didn't have a real reason, but . . . ." He shook his head and shrugged again. "Even if it was the only option, people died – citizens of Konoha died, and to them it looks like it was me who did it."

"It's not fair," Hinata insisted, her brow knitted in concern. "The Hokage made it clear to everybody what happened, and even that you – I mean, Kurama-sama – saved his life by destroying the tower."

"What's right, fairness . . ." Naruto waved his free hand, shaking his head tiredly. "Doesn't matter. I don't want to talk about it." He knew that his friends wanted to protest, but he was thankful when they allowed the conversation to lapse into silence. There were enough things to think about without having to worry over what the villagers thought of him. If the Sandaime and those close to him believed in him, then that was enough.

* * *

/*\

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen was an old man, but Naruto had never realized that fully until now. Team Seven and Haku stood in front of the Hokage's desk, all facing the village leader with carefully neutral expressions. The Sandaime was leaning back in his chair, examining his guests thoughtfully with the slightest smile tugging at the corners of his lips. His left eye was covered with bandages, as were his neck and right arm. The lines of his face seemed deeper than before, and there was a dark circle under his visible eye that told of recent restless nights.

"Thank you for coming, Team Seven. And you as well, Haku," he began serenely, nodding to them as they bowed in response to his greeting. "Kakashi has already submitted his report regarding your actions during the invasion of Konoha. I wanted to thank you personally for not only showing exceptional prowess in battle, but especially for saving countless lives in defeating the Ichibi. You have displayed ability beyond your years, and you have proven beyond any doubt your loyalty to Konohagakure – _all _of you." His eye twinkled as he gave Haku a brief smile; the boy flushed lightly and bowed. Naruto forced himself not to fidget or speak up, but he knew the last part had been meant for him as well.

"Your acknowledgement is humbling, Hokage-sama," Kakashi began formally. "I have never been more proud of my students."

"Do not think that just because you omitted it in your report that I do not know why I am alive today, Kakashi," Hiruzen chuckled. "If not for your request of the Kyuubi, I may have died at Orochimaru's hands. And I must not forget to thank you as well, Kyuubi no Kitsune." The Hokage spoke just as calmly as before, but as his intense gaze met Naruto's eyes it felt like the old man was looking _into_ him. There was no fear or judgment in his dark eyes, only gratitude and sincerity.

_**You may tell him that his gratitude is accepted.**_ If Naruto didn't know any better he would have sworn that Kurama was _purring_.

"The Kyuubi appreciates your thanks," Naruto relayed with another bow. "But I wouldn't flatter him too much; he's still a jerk." The Hokage blinked in surprise, and the others trained their features carefully not to betray any amusement at the remark. Hiruzen, however, let out an uncharacteristic laugh that lasted for several seconds, and his audience finally allowed themselves to loosen up and grin.

"One can always leave it to Naruto to brighten a conversation," he said after a few mild coughs, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Perhaps the Kyuubi is a malign individual; you would know best, after all. But by his will Konoha is safe, and that deserves gratitude regardless of temperament."

"I guess so," Naruto shrugged, though he couldn't help but smirk.

_**And you call **_**me **_**asinine.**_

"Well, now that we are a bit more relaxed, I would like to get on with the purpose of this debriefing." Their expressions sobered at once, and even the Hokage's normally placidity turned into seriousness. "The official death toll amounted to three hundred and forty-eight men, women, and children. Less than half were shinobi that perished in the line of duty; most were civilians, killed by Shukaku, enemy ninja, or the snake summons. Jiraiya defeated the latter before it could get too far into the city, and once the Ichibi had been expulsed the Sand and Sound forces retreated or surrendered quickly.

"My fight with Orochimaru ended when the Kyuubi collapsed the tower. The four Oto-nin and my former student were gone before the first stone hit the ground; I expect they did not like the odds of engaging the Hokage with several ANBU squads and a jinchuuriki to back him up. That leads me to you first, Naruto." He settled his eye on the blond in front of him before continuing, speaking very deliberately. "As I understand it, you would be dead if not for the choice to allow the Fox to surface. However, despite that choice saving your life and many others, it may have put your life in greater jeopardy."

"Sir?" Naruto asked, confused. The Hokage was quiet for a time, and the silence only made Naruto all the more disconcerted.

"We do not know much," the Sandaime began slowly, as if considering every word with great care. "But what information we do have you have a right to know, as do those close to you. I must require, however, that you disclose what I am about to tell you to no one. Am I clear?" Each of them – even Kakashi – nodded, and after another brief moment of hesitation Hiruzen continued. "Jiraiya has spent the last few years on what might be considered an extended mission, one I consider to be beyond S-rank in gravity. He has been tracking Orochimaru's movements, and through that task he has been gathering information on a certain group that has recently risen from the shadows." Hiruzen looked pointedly to Kakashi, who narrowed his eye before finishing the thought.

"Akatsuki," the jounin said quietly.

"That is the name they go by," the Sandaime confirmed, his expression grave. "They are an organization now made up of nine extremely powerful S-rank shinobi, as it seems Orochimaru left their ranks not long ago. According to Jiraiya's intelligence, the members of Akatsuki recently split up into teams of two, and have begun traveling around collecting techniques, and possibly other more valuable things."

"Ano . . ." Naruto began hesitantly, his mind racing with questions. "That all sounds . . . Well, it sounds really serious, but what does it have to do with me?"

"We have no means of proving it just yet, but Jiraiya suspects that they may be after the bijuu, and subsequently their jinchuuriki." Naruto balked and paled at that, and he could feel Kurama bristling already. "That is nearly the extent of what we know or assume. I expect Jiraiya will have more to say to you on the matter later, but for now at least you know the possibilities." The blond boy nodded tightly, saving his many unspoken thoughts for later.

"Sasuke, there is something of the Akatsuki that concerns you as well. You will discover it eventually, but I would rather you hear it from me than for you to find out on your own." Hiruzen turned his eye on the young Uchiha, and his features seemed to soften a little. Sasuke tensed and clenched his fists, but he kept his stoic façade. "Itachi is one of the members of Akatsuki." Sasuke's Sharingan activated of its own accord. His blood turned to ice in his veins, but it was boiling a breath later. His mask broke into an open snarl, and he all but spat out his next statement.

"Does Jiraiya know where he is?"

"No," Hiruzen replied immediately in a steely tone, as if he had anticipated Sasuke's response. "Even if his location was known it would not be revealed to anyone under any circumstance. You know what he is capable of better than most; would you throw your life away engaging him now?" Sasuke took a step back as if physically struck, and it was then that he noticed Haku's hand on his shoulder. The Hokage gave the boy an appreciative, grandfatherly smile. "I know that you seek retribution for your clan, Sasuke, and I do not have the right to stop you from obtaining it. But I do have a responsibility as the one that has given you this information to make certain you use it as a caution, and not as an incitation."

"I . . ." Sasuke started, struggling to control his emotions. "I understand, Hokage-sama. I appreciate your concern, but I know my limitations, and I've already given my word to go after Itachi the right way at the right time." Naruto grinned and nodded with Hinata, and Haku gave Sasuke's shoulder a light squeeze before lowering his arm.

"Hinata, I understand that Hiashi has asked you to return to the Hyuuga clan." Hinata stiffened and nodded. The old man smiled and inclined his head in what could only be a measure of thanks. "It seems that your actions – and those of all of Team Seven – have changed Hiashi's outlook. I was informed recently that he is even considering changing a few of the clan's laws regarding the Branch family." Hinata allowed her astonishment to show for only a moment before her features smoothed over again. She bowed before speaking, her voice clear and respectful.

"I am pleased to hear it, Hokage-sama, and it is true that I have been invited to reassume the role of heiress. I'm afraid that my role in swaying his opinion was minimal, however."

"Kakashi," the Sandaime said amusedly, shaking his head, "Are you teaching your students to be as neglectful of their own accomplishments as you can be?"

"Hinata is always as modest, Hokage-sama. I assure you that neither Naruto nor Sasuke lack any amount of ego to make up for her humility." Haku had to suppress a giggle at the man's words, and Hinata immediately flushed bright red. The two boys in question each gave their sensei a level look before turning back to Hiruzen with flat expressions, though Naruto at least seemed a little embarrassed.

"A balanced team is important," the Hokage said with a light chuckle. "In any case, I do hope you decide on your own what you will do. Always do what is in your best interest, and never forget that – in all likelihood – you are the only one that knows what that is." He had to hide a knowing smile when the young Hyuuga's eyes flicked to Naruto. "Although I'm sure your friends are pretty close." Hinata couldn't help but give a demure smile at the old man's advice.

"I've heard that a certain young man evacuated the majority of the villagers from the arena last week," he said mildly, finally turning his gaze to Haku. "And that his means of doing so were fairly creative." Naruto and Hinata looked over at Haku curiously, though Sasuke only smirked and kept his eyes forward. "Tell me, Haku: how did you come up with that idea?"

"Hokage-sama," Haku started, bowing deeply. "The spectating area was very far from the ground level, and I determined that it would take far too long to guide the villagers down the many flights of stairs while also ensuring their safety. I decided the most efficient means would be to craft a broad, closed chute of ice that lead down from the southern end, and would serve not only as an expedient exit but also as a protection against potential attackers. Its gradient was appropriately adjusted for a gentle descent," he added at the end, looking a touch embarrassed.

"Sound reasoning," Hiruzen nodded, smiling warmly at the boy. "And thanks to your actions the villagers were indeed evacuated in a safe, timely fashion. Tell me, though: if you did not possess your kekkei genkai, how would you have managed your task?"

"I would have created clones at a ratio of one to every ten villagers and escorted them through the tunnels of the arena. My chakra capacity has increased in my time spent training with Team Seven, and I believe I could have managed that many in addition to more to guard our front and rear." Haku's response was immediate, as if he had gone through the scenario in his mind already. Hiruzen nearly spoke again to commend him for his forethought before the boy continued. "Another option would have been to use an earth technique to modify the exterior wall of the arena, detaching a section and creating a ramp for everybody to proceed down." Even Kakashi turned to blink at Haku; clearly they hadn't been through his thought process on the matter. "I decided quickly that those two options would either have been too time consuming or vulnerable to an enemy assault. The latter especially would have required me to modify the Wave of Earth jutsu on the fly, and even had I managed it the villagers would have been exposed on their way out. Using my bloodline ability proved to be the best option for security, practicality, and swiftness." Haku took in a deep breath, nodding once at the bewildered Hokage. "I hope my reasoning was sound, Hokage-sama."

"Quite," the Sandaime murmured, taking a moment to reach beneath his desk and withdraw his long pipe. Smoke rose from the bowl at the end, although nobody had seen him light it before taking a slow draw. "Well, Kakashi," Hiruzen said calmly, reaching into his desk once again. "I think it's fair to say that Haku has proven himself enough, don't you think?" He placed a plain wooden case on the tabletop, sliding it forward reverently. "May you serve Konohagakure well, Haku." The boy looked confused as he regarded the box, and he glanced questioningly over at Kakashi a second later.

"Go ahead," the jounin said with a nod towards the box. "It's a gift."

"A gift from the Hokage . . .?" He stepped forward, carefully lifting the lid of the container. Hinata gasped as he revealed what was inside, and both Naruto and Sasuke grinned. "This is . . ."

"A Leaf hitai-ate," Hiruzen confirmed, his eye twinkling as he spoke. "Your altered sentence allowed for you to become a full-fledged Konoha shinobi, pending Kakashi's recommendation and my acceptance. If you recall, my advisor – Koharu – wished you to become useful to our village eventually. I believe you have proven yourself, and you have grown considerably since arriving here."

Haku didn't speak for a moment. He stared at the shining metal plate of his new forehead protector, tracing the engraving of the Leaf symbol. He had been accepted – trusted. It was almost too overwhelming to think about, but he managed to keep his expression solemn as he lifted and tied the hitai-ate in place. The familiar feeling of a forehead protector was something he had missed; it felt like coming home after a long time away. He stepped back and bowed again, his voice thick when he finally managed to get his words out.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. It is an honor to be of use to Konohagakure."

"Of use . . ." Hiruzen mused, nodding. "Yes, I suppose; all shinobi should be useful, Haku. But that is a sign that you are a friend and ally of our village, and that you will fight to protect it. It is a token signifying that you are willing to take on the Will of Fire. Can you – _will _you do this, Haku?" The boy couldn't respond beyond a tight nod, not trusting his voice. The Sandaime smiled and inclined his head, allowing a few moments of silence.

"Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, Haku – I thank you again for your service to the village. I look forward to seeing you grow to be even stronger as a team." They all bowed in unison, eliciting a small smile from the old man. "You four are dismissed; I have a few things to discuss with Kakashi before I can let him go."

"North wall," Kakashi said as his subordinates turned to depart. "I'll join you there shortly." None of them spoke as they left the room, though he expected a wide range of conversation to start up soon. The Hokage had touched on a great many things, and they had been taken on quite the emotional ride.

"Do you have any recommendations for Haku's new station?" Hiruzen asked after the others had gone.

"He used to be a member of Kirigakure's hunter-nin unit before defecting with Zabuza. I believe he would work well in one of our ANBU divisions, or even as a chuunin team leader."

"Mm . . . Danzo has asked that he be admitted to Root. I told him – quite firmly – that Haku's assignment would be left up to you." Hiruzen watched for Kakashi to betray his feelings, but as expected the jounin had perfect control of his expression.

"I do not think that wise," Kakashi said simply. "My recommendation would be for him to initially be assigned as a Tokubetsu Jounin."

"Oh? Why is that?" the Hokage asked mildly, though his calm expression implied that he already knew the answer Kakashi would give.

"His skillset makes him ideal as a future ANBU assassin. His speed, intelligence, and ability with ninjutsu are unmatched for a child his age, and his kekkei genkai gives him an edge no other shinobi would have in combat. I believe the rank fits, and it would allow him to become my subordinate. As a former member of Konoha's ANBU, I can train him before you officially invite him into the ranks. That is, if you approve of the assignment."

"I agree. I will fill out the appropriate paperwork; have him come by later this afternoon to get his picture taken and identification in order." Kakashi bowed in acknowledgement, and when he straightened again the Hokage's expression had become severe. "That aside, what I said to Naruto is no small matter; I understand that Jiraiya has spoken to you about Akatsuki, so you know well how dangerous they are. I do not believe they are audacious enough to do any more than gather information within our city, but–"

"You think they are or have been here already?" Kakashi cut in sharply, forgetting himself for a moment.

"I do. I believe that if given the opportunity they will take Naruto, or perhaps one of his friends to get to him." Kakashi's eye narrowed, and Hiruzen was both surprised and comforted to see the protective look. "Jiraiya is considering taking the boy under his wing for the time being."

"Isn't he supposed to be going to look for Tsunade?" Kakashi asked, working to keep the concern from his tone.

"Yes, but I can't think of a person that Naruto would be safer with than Jiraiya. That aside, he has the right as the boy's godfather." Kakashi gave a begrudging nod; no matter how skilled he was as a shinobi, even he didn't come close to one of the Sannin. "He believes that Naruto might be able to help convince Tsunade to come take my place as Hokage; she can be . . . very stubborn at times."

"Naruto does have an odd way of getting people to believe in him," Kakashi admitted. "At least, people that don't carry an unreasonable disposition towards him already." Hiruzen frowned and shook his head, looking just as old and tired as he had at the beginning of their meeting.

"I will leave the decision to Jiraiya. If Naruto does leave with him, you have my permission to have Haku serve on Team Seven while he is away. He is in more of a hurry than I am to see me retire finally, so you will hear from him within a few days I'm sure." He gave a dry chuckle and sighed, sinking back into his chair.

"As you wish, Hokage-sama. Was there anything else you needed to speak with me about?"

"That was all from me, Kakashi. Although," he continued as Kakashi bowed, "Asuma wanted me to pass along his thanks to Naruto; apparently his team has been training especially hard lately because of something your student said to Shikamaru during the Chuunin Exam." Kakashi raised an eyebrow, and Hiruzen shrugged. "I'm not sure of the details myself. I've had similar reports from Kurenai as well."

"I see. I will be sure to let him know. Has there been a decision regarding the exam?"

"The examiners all agreed that both Naruto and Sasuke possessed more than adequate strength to become chuunin, but the test was . . . interrupted too early to make any sound judgment regarding their intelligence and decision making ability. It was decided that a new selection exam will be set up in two months following repairs to the village; the other countries were 'gracious' enough to allow us to host it again." The Hokage tried to keep his tone mild, but he didn't manage to keep all of the annoyance from his voice. "Needless to say, it will be on a much smaller scale without participating members from the Sand and Sound."

"That seems reasonable enough," Kakashi said before bowing one last time. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen sat facing the window, puffing thoughtfully on his pipe long after Kakashi had departed. His body ached, and he wanted nothing more than to go back to bed. _I suppose Koharu and Homura were right to convince me to choose a successor. I can only hope that Tsunade will come back._ He sighed, closing his eyes for a few seconds before turning back to his desk, and the proverbial mountain of paperwork he had to do before the day was out.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"I made sure to tell them to wear their normal clothes," Kakashi assured Iruka. The chuunin sighed in relief, donning a sheepish grin just after.

"Good, because I don't think I'd survive being outdone by my former students again." They were standing just outside the door to Yakiniku Q, exchanging idle chatter in the gathering dusk. It had been another long day of cleaning up rubble and breaking down debris, but with the section near the north wall complete the task was nearly finished. "Those four are a force to be reckoned with," Iruka said with a shake of his head. "Naruto's multitude of clones is more help than anybody could ask for, but now that Hinata and Sasuke can make a few themselves it's like we've got a miniature army for a cleanup crew."

"It does appear that way sometimes, but the others can't be forgotten either. Haku can freeze and shatter large bits of debris to make it more manageable, Chouji is perfect for moving around the bigger items with his expansion jutsu, Sakura has been pretty adept and demolishing irrecoverable structures; this list goes on." Iruka smiled and nodded, though Kakashi's humility for the sake of his team couldn't alter the chuunin's focus.

"I know, I know, but you've worked closely with those three over the last few months. You know better than anyone how much they've grown in such a short time."

"That I won't deny. They're . . . I don't really know. I've never seen genin – much less an entire team – so driven."

"I suppose that's what happens when you're as close as those three are," Iruka said with a small laugh. "Speaking of closeness, have you noticed anything odd about Naruto and Hinata lately? I can't really put my finger on it, but their behavior has changed since last week. I suppose that's to be expected, though, since the attack . . ." Kakashi blinked owlishly at him for a few seconds before smirking, a bit of mischief in his eye.

"You have absolutely no clue that they're dating, do you?" The jounin watched with no small amount of amusement as Iruka's expression changed. His eyes first went wide, then narrowed in thought, before finally settling on annoyed confusion.

"Since when? And why wouldn't they tell me about it?" he huffed, folding his arms and scowling.

"Since after Naruto woke up in the hospital, if I had to guess." Kakashi shrugged, still grinning beneath his mask. "They've been going off together when they think nobody will notice, doing _who knows what_." Iruka's mouth worked for a response, but Kakashi continued before he could get a word out. "And Naruto's become like your son, Iruka; do you really think children naturally tell their parents things like that? The only reason I know is because I spend a great deal more time with them."

"But they sleep together!" Iruka blurted out, pausing a moment later to cover his mouth and turn several shades of red. "I-I mean, not like that! They fall asleep on the sofa together, and I thought it was just cute – cute!"

"It _is_ cute, Iruka," Kakashi sighed, waving a hand. "They're not even thirteen yet; they've still got another two or three years before you need to be worrying over that. Just be glad this isn't the Hidden Sound – I hear they start having kids by sixteen or so." Surprisingly, Iruka sobered rather than becoming more flustered. He shrugged and rubbed at the back of his head, staying quiet for a time before speaking up again.

"I guess that is the world we live in," he said finally. "The higher chance one has of dying young, the more the motivation. This is the fate of shinobi, I suppose. Still, I'd feel better if I talked to them about it."

"That's your prerogative as their guardian," Kakashi said lightly, still a touch amused by what he had just learned about his students. "But I'd save it for when you get home, and two extras aren't standing behind you." Iruka had time only to raise a questioning eyebrow before Naruto's voice piped up.

"What're you talking about?" he probed immediately, wondering why Iruka's face was so red. He was standing hand-in-hand with Hinata, of course, with Sasuke and Haku standing to his other side.

"Ah, what we're going to order for dinner," Iruka explained lamely, earning him a snort from Sasuke and a snicker from Haku. Naruto only rolled his eyes.

"Okay, okay, whatever. Let's celebrate! I bet everybody else is already here!" Kakashi nodded and turned to lead the way in, followed by his subordinates. Iruka watched after them for a moment, sighed, then shook his head as he followed.

* * *

/*\

* * *

"A toast!" Gai veritably roared, his cheeks flushed deeply. He had been drinking far too much sake over the course of the evening's meal, and was now standing with one foot on the table and the other on his chair. "A toast to my eternal rival Hatake Kakashi! And to his team, of course," he finished with a hiccough, giving Team Seven an exaggerated wink before downing his saucer of alcohol. "Chyah! Waiter! More sake please!"

"I think you've had enough, sensei," Tenten muttered as she helped him slide back to his seat. She glanced apologetically across the table to Kakashi and Iruka's party of six. "I did warn you all about this."

"As long as he's having fun," Naruto laughed. "I'm glad we decided to have a party."

"Everybody does seem to be enjoying themselves," Sasuke mused, sounding only marginally less bored than usual. Their former classmates were seated all around them down the long table, creating quite the ruckus within the restaurant. Team Eight was at the far end with Kurenai, engaged in an argument with Asuma's team over the quality of the barbeque pork. At least, most of them were going at it; Shino and Shikamaru seemed content to play a quiet game of shogi on a travel set that the Nara boy liked to carry around. Asuma and Kurenai sat beside one another, chatting amiably and blushing far more often than anybody noticed.

"Did Neji-niisan have a prior commitment?" Hinata asked Lee from across the table. She knew what the answer would be before the boy even shook his head.

"He said he would rather train," Lee shrugged. "Neji has been dedicating far more time to his training than usual, and I can't fault him for that. Gai-sensei says that he is taking charge of his youth and learning from his mistakes."

"I see," she responded worriedly, but her concern lessened considerably as Naruto's hand took hers beneath the table. He didn't say anything; in fact, anything he might have offered would have likely been a negative remark towards her cousin. But the simple comfort of his presence helped assuage some of her anxiety.

"An _actual_ toast," Kakashi started, tapping his chopsticks loudly enough against his plate that their gathered friends quieted. He stood and looked around, making sure to catch every one of the genin's eyes before continuing. "A toast to friends and family lost, and a toast to life." Every person present – even the young ones – solemnly lifted their saucers of sake, taking a reverent sip before setting it down.

"To Konohagakure and its resilience," Kurenai proposed.

"To the Will of Fire," Asuma added.

"To youth!" Lee cried, his eyes already half-lidded as he swayed dangerously in his seat.

"To friends, and love," Tenten put in with a warm smile and a none-too secretive wink at Hinata and Naruto. The couple blushed together, but drank a little more enthusiastically to that.

Murmurs of agreement rose with every tribute, followed by a brief moment of silence. Finally, after it appeared that no further acknowledgements would be offered, Iruka stood up and raised his drink.

"To the Konoha Twelve," he said with a proud smile, "My former students – and our new addition." Iruka smiled and nodded at Haku, who was still wearing his new hitai-ate. The boy flushed and beamed up at him, though before everybody could drink he went on with the toast. "To you all – the future of our village – for your bravery and camaraderie in the face of a great crisis. May you grow and fight together, and always support one another as you have." A round of cheers rose from the table, and the last of the sake was drained to Iruka's praise. He sat down flustered but glowing, observing the young shinobi he had spent half a decade mentoring. They ranged the spectrum of joy, from the very reserved Shino giving a firm nod to Lee nearly breaking the table as he leapt upon it in his zeal.

_I'm proud to have been your instructor._

* * *

/*\

* * *

"I'm pretty sure Gai-sensei will have to pay for the damages," Naruto said as he closed the door to their apartment. "I had no idea Lee could fight like that, though."

"I don't care _how_ he fought," Iruka sighed, sinking into the chair opposite the couch. "Gai shouldn't have accepted Lee's 'youthful challenge'. It'll be a week before they repair the damage to the restaurant."

"At least it was as everybody was leaving," Hinata offered, suppressing a giggle. Iruka couldn't help but smile, though when his eyes fell on their linked hands he remembered that he still had something to do. It was late, but he knew that if he put it off that he wouldn't have the gumption to do it later.

"Do you two have a minute to talk?" Naruto cocked his head to one side, as if trying to figure out what Iruka's tone implied. He shrugged and nodded, as did Hinata, and they moved to the couch together.

"Sure, Iruka-sensei. What's up?" the blond asked tentatively. Usually when Iruka wanted to discuss something casual he just brought it up. Asking them for a conversation was indicative that this would not be one of those times.

_I'm an adult, and as of now I'm responsible for them. It's my duty. I can do this no problem. _"Sex – we ah . . . need to talk about it." _Nailed it._ Hinata and Naruto both blinked once, then stared at him. It took several seconds for the color in their faces to surpass that in their mentor's, but in moments the pair was so red that Iruka was pretty sure they had created a new hue.

"I-Iruka-sensei!" Naruto blurted out finally. "Why do we need to talk about that?!"

"Because you two are dating now, and things happen," Iruka shrugged, calming down a little. His two charges were carefully avoiding eye contact with one another, and he hadn't even seen their hands return to their own laps. "I know you're still young, but it's better to get this out of the way early on. Besides, it's not like it's weird or an anathema."

"Anathe-what?"

"Something frowned on," Hinata murmured.

"Oh, right. But – I mean, we're only twelve," Naruto protested, trying to find a way out of what he knew would be the most awkward conversation of his life. "Isn't that stuff for adults?"

"You may be young, but you _are_ adults," the chuunin said calmly, pointing to his forehead protector. "You were adults from the moment you received these. Don't you think it'd be a little weird if you were allowed to die for your village, but not allowed to . . . Ah, to love somebody like that?"

"Wait, we're _allowed _to do that?" Naruto asked incredulously, wrinkling his nose and making a face that was somewhere between disbelieving and disgusted.

_Damnit, not what I meant._ "No! Well I mean yes, technically, but no!" They both looked equal parts mortified and confused. Iruka sighed, rubbing at his temples. This was much more difficult than he had imagined it would be, and he had thought it would be terrible. "Look, when you graduate the academy you are considered adults in the eyes of the village, which means you can legally act on your own. You can sign contracts yourself, buy property, go outside the village – anything that a normal adult can do. And yes, that includes _that_ too. Normally a child is under their parents' rule and protection until sixteen, but shinobi are a little different. Again, if you're permitted to die for your village, it stands to reason that you can have other adult responsibilities."

"I guess that makes sense," Naruto agreed begrudgingly, though he still looked uncomfortable. Hinata was switching between smoothing her skirt and fidgeting with the bracer on her arm, though Iruka knew that she was listening because her cheeks colored more as he spoke.

"So instead of treating you like children in this matter, we're going to just talk about it plainly, alright? It's not taboo, it's not embarrassing, and it's not strange. It's just a part of life that needs to be discussed openly. Ask me any questions you have about anything I talk about, okay?" Both of them still looked fairly uncomfortable, but they nodded all the same and listened as Iruka started.

Surprisingly enough to all parties involved, the conversation quickly became more relaxed and comfortable. Naruto and Hinata seemed to take to heart his assurances, and even asked a few tentative questions here and there. Nobody was blushing anymore as Iruka wrapped up the talk, though the young couple was still avoiding eye contact as much as possible.

"Lastly," Iruka said after nearly an hour had gone by, "Try to be a little more careful about putting yourselves in that kind of situation, alright? I know you two fall asleep together a lot while you're up talking, and I don't want to discourage spending time together, but just be aware of those temptations later on when you might not be ready for them."

"Yes, sensei," they said together, both smiling sheepishly.

"Good," Iruka sighed after a good stretch. "I guess this is a good chance to mention two other things, though the first is a question for you, Hinata." The girl blinked at him, prompting him to continue. "Have you decided what to do about Hiashi's proposal?"

"I . . ." Hinata began, glancing quickly at Naruto. "I have, I think. I believe my father is sincere, and I would like to accept his offer as far as becoming the heiress to the clan again. But . . ." She hesitated, and it wasn't until Naruto took her hand again that she kept going. "I don't think I'm ready to move back to the compound just yet. I was considering getting my own apartment; I know you've said that I can stay as long as I need to, but this is your home, sensei. And I think Naruto should have his room back," she finished with a slight flush. Iruka grinned and shook his head.

"Hinata, this isn't just my home. It's _our_ home. Besides, even though I tell you not to, you still pay me for rent, you help clean and cook, and you keep Naruto out of trouble. What more could I ask from a guest?" Hinata blushed and giggled, and Naruto scowled half-heartedly. "But that does lead me to my next topic. My pay was raised recently, and with both you and Naruto making quite the sum of ryo from missions I was considering moving to a new apartment with an additional bedroom. You're welcome to come with us if you'd like, and then you could both have your own room." Naruto grinned, though he had to keep himself from expressing his desires aloud. This had to be Hinata's decision, and even if he wanted her to keep living with them it might not be 'in her best interest', in the Hokage's words.

"I'd like that," she said after a short pause, inclining her head to Iruka. It took a considerable effort to hold back her tears. _Our home . . . _She was being given the chance to continue living near Naruto, and in so many words she was being accepted into their small family. It was far from the family she had been born into, but it was the family that had taken her in when she had been alone, and it was the one she would choose over any other.

"It's settled then," Iruka said happily, standing with another stretch. "We'll all go out to look for apartments together starting next week. Try to get to sleep soon," he continued as he reached the living room's threshold. "Kakashi said that you have some new training starting tomorrow morning."

"We will," Naruto assured him. Iruka lingered in the doorway for only a moment before smiling and moving off down the hallway. The door to his room clicked shut a few seconds later, leaving Hinata and Naruto sitting in silence for several minutes. It was a comfortable quiet, with both of them simultaneously enjoying each other's presence and deep in their own thoughts. It wasn't until Naruto yawned that Hinata broke the silence.

"I guess I should be getting to bed," she said slowly, giving Naruto's hand a squeeze before rising. "Iruka-sensei said to avoid these kinds of situations, right?" She smiled mischievously and tapped her nose, pretending that she didn't notice Naruto's grumble as she strode across the room.

"I _guess_," Naruto said with an exaggerated sigh. "I still think it's really weird that he wanted to talk to us about that. I mean, you don't ever think about that stuff, do you?"

"N-no!" Hinata quickly switched off the light to hide her blush, though she stopped before exiting the room to glance back into the dimness. She could still see Naruto's vague silhouette, but his eyes shone far too bright for the modicum of light coming from the hallway. Hinata had looked into those eyes many times over the last week, and only recently did her mind stop going back to the Kyuubi's crimson irises when she saw Naruto's. She pursed her lips and turned back on an impulse, rushing over to the sofa and throwing her arms around his neck. Naruto was taken by surprise and toppled sideways, though he managed to get his arms around her waist before his back hit the cushions.

"Didn't you just say something about 'these kinds of situations?'" Naruto teased. His vision adjusted quickly to the darkness, and he watched as Hinata pulled her head back and clicked her tongue quietly. Her ponytail had fallen over one shoulder and now trailed by his collar bone, sending a shiver up his spine.

"I'll go to bed soon," Hinata said softly, her lips so close that he could feel them move when she spoke. "I just wanted to talk first."

They 'talked' for nearly fifteen minutes before separating, which only happened due to their need to breathe. They lay facing one another for a time, Naruto with a hand on Hinata's hip while she lay curled against his chest. Their eyes were closed, and before long both were breathing deeply. Neither of them realized that sleep was quickly taking hold, and before long the beginnings of dreams began to creep into their fading consciousness. That is, until they both twitched and bolted upright at the same time.

"What–"

"Who–"

They each stared into empty space, their breath coming quicker and quicker.

"Hinata," Naruto started, heat rising in his cheeks. "Did you ever release that last clone?"

"N-no," she stuttered. "Did you?" Her head was spinning, but she knew that the lightheadedness had little to do with the returning memories from her bunshin.

"No . . . Were they . . . This whole time?"

"I think so," Hinata responded faintly, her thought process failing her completely. The memories settled after several long seconds of the most furious embarrassment she had ever experienced, leaving an all too clear picture of what had been going on between their clones for the last twelve hours. "Oh," she started, unable to think of anything to say. "Oh."

"Uh . . . Maybe sleep was a good idea after all," Naruto said hoarsely, twiddling his thumbs.

"Yes, definitely a good idea." Hinata all but fell off of the couch in her hurry, bolting out of the door and to her room in the blink of an eye. He heard a flustered 'Goodnight!' whispered from down the hall just before the door to her room snapped shut. Naruto was left staring after her for a long while, speechless. He wasn't quite sure when he fell asleep, but he remembered thinking about swearing off of Shadow Clones until much, _much_ later.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Heya folks.

I hope I made the 'filler' chapter enjoyable enough. Just wanted to write something fun while also introducing important future plot elements. And I promise I didn't forget about Sasuke's curse mark/Orochimaru/Sound Four; I just had other things to set up first! And fluff to write. I like fluff. D:

Note about Haku's past: it's not explained very well what happened between Zabuza finding Haku and them encountering Team Seven for the first time. So I took a liberty or two and made up some back story involving Zabuza finding and training Haku, getting him into Kiri's ANBU as a spy for his future coup d'état, then leaving together when it goes south. In case you were wondering where Kakashi's explanation came from~

Thank you Rhi for the dedicated beta work, and to all of you who've read this far (or for whatever reason only read this chapter; I still love you). Reviews are appreciated as always, good or bad, as long as there's a solid constructive element!

See you next time!

- Wes


	19. Of Things Sentimental

**Chapter 19 – Of Things Sentimental**

"So you've decided to take him along, then," Kakashi said evenly as he watched his team train with an unreadable expression.

"Aye," Jiraiya replied. "It may be unfair of me, but Naruto bears a resemblance to Tsunade's lost brother, Nawaki. At least, he does in spirit. I think having him along may help persuade her."

"I see." The only display of unease that Kakashi allowed was a shifting of his weight, disguised as him finding a more comfortable place to lean his back against the tree they shared. It was another sunny morning, instilled with a cool breeze that signaled the coming of autumn. The leaves of the trees surrounding the third training ground were beginning to display a myriad of warm colors as well. None of the scenery interested the younger jounin, however, and instead he focused carefully on his students. "Again," he called.

"Genjutsu: Binding," Hinata murmured, focusing on Naruto and Sasuke. A breath later they stood completely still in front of her, frozen by the technique. Sasuke relaxed after a moment, stretching to show that he was free of the ability, but Naruto remained motionless.

_Kakashi-sensei wasn't joking when he said that genjutsu was hard to break without a hand seal,_ he ground out in his mind, struggling to disrupt his chakra flow and shake the technique.

_**It's not that difficult,**_ Kurama yawned. _**Like Kakashi said: focus on your chakra flow, halt it for a split second, then release it in a burst of energy.**_

_I can't see chakra flow like they can,_ he retorted. _How am I supposed to visualize something that I've never seen? And what does this have to do with the gates?_

_**You've seen diagrams in the academy. Those gates limit the flow of chakra through your body. If you stop the flow at any of the gates and release it, the genjutsu should break easily. Figure it out. **_ Naruto growled at the following silence, annoyed at how easily he was being incapacitated. He turned inward for the umpteenth time.

_Hinata said the Gate of Opening was the best one because it's near the motor-thing in my brain. Just have to concentrate on my chakra. C'mon, you stupid gate._ An entire minute of straining yielded only sweat and frustration. Hinata began to look concerned as Naruto's face contorted, and he would have cursed if he had been able to. _She's about to undo it._

_**You're hopeless,**_ the Kyuubi sighed. Just as Naruto was getting ready with an appropriately hostile remark, an orange spark flashed in his mind's eye, illuminating a spectacular . . . something. It lasted for the briefest instant, but the imparted image burned itself into his memory as if it were his own. Naruto was now reflecting on a perfect representation of the chakra circulatory system inside of his own head, complete with the two major nodes containing the Gate of Opening and Gate of Rest.

_Whoa . . . Is that really what it looks like? Kinda looks like veins and stuff._

_**It's called the chakra **_**circulatory system **_**for a reason. Do you try to be this ignorant, or does it just come naturally?**_

_Shut up,_ Naruto glowered. _And thanks, _he added with begrudged sincerity. He focused on the three dimensional picture Kurama had provided, trying to gather his chakra at the Gate of Opening. _Keep it there . . . Gather more chakra . . ._ All at once he forced his chakra to stop circulating, holding it for less than a second before releasing it in a 'small' burst.

The result was noticeable, to say the least. Naruto's onlookers took in a collective breath as an explosion of blue chakra erupted from the side of his head, throwing him off balance and sending him toppling to the ground.

"Ow," he groaned, wincing as he put a hand to his throbbing head. "Did it."

"Probably gave yourself an aneurysm, too," Sasuke smirked, offering a hand to help his friend up. "I mean you did do it, but what happened?"

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked worriedly, likely afraid her genjutsu had been the cause of the mishap.

"I'm fine," Naruto said with a sheepish grin. "Just used too much chakra, as usual. Kurama showed me a . . . Well, he showed me something. I guess it was a picture of what my chakra circulatory system looks like. It helped me visualize it better and block the flow at the gate."

"Oh," she responded, looking surprised and a touch guilty. "I'm sorry; I never considered that you couldn't see it like we can."

"No big deal. You guys may have special eyes, but I've got a grumpy fox in my head that helps out every once and a while." Naruto grinned, accepting Sasuke's hand and pulling himself up. Despite themselves, his friends smiled as well; the blond was never one to get down on himself, and he always found a way to keep up even without a kekkei genkai.

"Good," Kakashi said as he strolled over beside Jiraiya. "While not acceptable yet on your end, Naruto, still good." The boy couldn't decide whether to scowl or beam. "I'm going to do some more advanced genjutsu training with Sasuke and Hinata. Jiraiya needs to speak with you."

"You look like you need a good cure for a headache," Jiraiya chortled. "I'll treat you to some ramen while we talk." Naruto's features lit up for a moment, though he sobered quickly when he realized what was coming. Kakashi had told him that the Sannin was likely going to talk to him this week, but the topic of discussion had remained a mystery. It had only been four days since then, and Naruto had a feeling the news wouldn't be good.

"Alright," he shrugged, turning to follow the man out of the clearing. He flashed a smile back at his friends before disappearing beyond the tree line.

"Remember what we did yesterday?" Kakashi started mildly, waiting for his two remaining students to nod. "We're going to do it again, only this time I'm going to use it on both of you."

"But how–" Hinata began.

"I'm not going to let you seriously injure one another. If you can't break out of it on your own before things get out of hand, I'll cancel it myself. Remember: this is a very powerful forbidden jutsu. If you can free yourselves of this, you'll be safe from all but the most advanced techniques. Ready?" Sasuke's expression turned stony, and Hinata's concern seemed to evaporate as she took on a similar demeanor. Kakashi nodded, bringing his hands together into a dragon seal and muttering, "Magen: Insanity."

Both genin's bodies went rigid for a few seconds, their eyes widening before they shuddered and became very still. Without warning Sasuke whirled and launched a blast of fire at Hinata, who spun to one side even as several of her kunai were flying towards her new adversary. The Uchiha leapt back, but the explosive tags attached to the knives went off and sent him flying away. He growled and flipped in mid-air, launching two fists of shuriken just before landing. Hinata's palms moved like lightning, deflecting the projectiles with pinpoint bursts of chakra. They clashed again a moment later, fighting against each other just as hard as they were trying to break themselves of the terrible genjutsu. It would be another long morning.

* * *

/*\

* * *

Naruto stared down at his untouched bowl of ramen, and despite its enticing aroma he couldn't bring himself to start eating. Jiraiya was seated at the stool beside him, shamelessly flirting with Ayame and drawing disapproving glances from Teuchi. The young woman laughed and went along with it for a while, politely turning Jiraiya down when he asked if she might help him with some 'research'. The whole ordeal only made Naruto more uneasy, and it was only after Jiraiya made a particularly lewd comment - and got scolded by the owner - that he finally spoke up.

"What did you want to talk about, Jiraiya-sensei?" The old Sannin blinked and glanced over at his pupil, eyes flickering to the shop owners before he spoke in what sounded like a natural tone.

"No hurry," he said casually, cutting himself off with a mouthful of noodles. "Finish your ramen first, kiddo." Naruto got the hint; Jiraiya didn't want to speak openly about it while Teuchi and Ayame were present. Without any other options he started into his meal, and immediately regretted not doing so earlier. As always, Ichiraku's ramen was the best. It wasn't long before Naruto was draining the lukewarm broth from the bowl; it had been incredible even after sitting for so long.

"Alright," he sighed, leaning back as he finished. Teuchi and Ayame had gone to the back claiming the need to do inventory, though Naruto had a suspicion that they had just caught Jiraiya's subtle hint. "Can you tell me now?"

"Always impatient," Jiraiya grumbled, taking a swig of sake from a flask hidden in the folds of his vest. "Kakashi's probably told you already, but the Hokage is retiring. He and his advisors have chosen a successor." Naruto nodded; none of this was news to him. "They decided to beseech Tsunade – another of the Sannin – for the position." That _was_ news, though.

"I've heard Tenten talk about her before," Naruto started slowly. "She's famous for her medical ninjutsu, right?"

"And for her incredible strength. I used to ask her on dates and I'd land on my back a hundred meters away." Jiraiya barked out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. "The higher ups say that she's the most logical choice, if not the only choice Konoha has."

"But what does that have to do with me?" It was a simple question, but the answer was a complicated one. Jiraiya studied the boy for a moment before folding his arms and continuing.

"Tsunade is also stubborn, and she may not accept it so easily. To put it bluntly, I think you might be able to help convince her."

"Me? Why?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"Because Kakashi tells me that your goal is to be Hokage one day," Jiraiya said with only the slightest smirk. Naruto nodded unabashedly, but he still looked confused. "And . . . I can't really share with you all of the details as to why you'd be of assistance, but your drive to become Hokage alone should help. Basically, you may be the deciding factor in helping Konoha find its new leader."

_**He's not telling you something.**_

_Pretty sure he just said that, genius. But if we - if I can help convince Tsunade to come be Hokage, what does it matter?_

_**He's not telling you something **_**important**_**, **_Kurama growled. _**Leave the snark for less serious matters. He probably wants to keep an eye on us.**_

"You want me to come because you want to keep an eye on me, don't you?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Jiraiya shrugged, though when he glanced over to see Naruto's quirked eyebrow he sighed and relented. "Fine, yes, that's part of it. But it's not because anybody told me to," he added quickly. "It's because . . . Well . . ."

"Because you're my godfather?" Naruto ventured innocently. The look on his sensei's face was priceless.

"How . . .?" Jiraiya almost looked offended for a moment before his eyes narrowed and he scowled. "You know, it's not exactly fair that you have a damned tailed beast in your head sharing things with you."

"You're the 'Legendary Toad Sage', sensei; I'll take what advantages I can get." They shared a grin at that, lapsing into a short silence. "How long will it take?" Naruto asked after a moment.

"A week; two at most." Jiraiya seemed confident in his response. It wouldn't be a long trip to wherever Tsunade was, then.

"Okay, I'll do it. Are Hinata and Sasuke coming too?" he asked hopefully.

"I think Kakashi has some special training planned for those two; it's probably more genjutsu stuff. Don't worry, though. I'll have some for you as well." Jiraiya smirked, and his student's face lit up.

"Is it another cool technique like the Rasengan?"

"Mm . . ." Jiraiya's expression sobered then, and he looked thoughtful as he swirled the contents of his flask. "Seeing as you knew about me, I take it that the Kyuubi has told you about your parents?" Naruto nodded slowly, turning back to the counter. "I wanted to teach you some more of your father's techniques. I know you have the capability to learn them, and I think he would have wanted to pass them on to you."

"The Yondaime . . ." Naruto started, shaking his head after a moment and smiling faintly. "My dad was an incredible ninja, wasn't he?"

"I believe that Minato was the strongest shinobi that ever lived. He was Konoha's Yellow Flash, revered throughout the world. He was extremely intelligent, powerful, and kind. But your father wasn't just an incredible ninja, Naruto. He was the best man that I've ever known." Jiraiya left his praise there for a time. He glanced to Naruto, who he could tell was struggling to keep his composure. _He probably only learned about all this recently. Poor kid._

"Sounds great." It had been a minute or two before Naruto could respond, his voice a bit shaky as he rubbed at the corners of his eyes. "When do we need to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning," Jiraiya responded as he stood, stretching. He set a few extra ryo on the counter with the amount that was already there, winking at Naruto before he turned to leave. "Have another bowl; I think somebody else wants to talk to you." Naruto blinked up at his retreating sensei before looking back over the counter. Teuchi had just emerged from the back room, and there were tears in his eyes. There weren't any other customers at the moment, but it seemed that their conversation had not been entirely private nonetheless.

"I owe you an apology, Naruto," he began with a heavy sigh. The old man almost looked physically pained. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to tell you about your parents. I wanted so badly to, especially in the past when you had a more difficult time with the villagers."

"It's alright, sir," Naruto assured him, trying his hand at a confident grin. "I know the law was there to protect me, and that you didn't have a choice about it."

"Still . . . I want to at least make amends for my inability to tell you about your parents. I've been waiting to be able to tell you about them, and some things I think they'd have wanted to tell you if they were here today." This was almost getting to be too much for Naruto – almost. Kurama had told him about his parents, although it had been more of an overview. Going over their entire lives would take a long time, and there were bound to be things even the Kyuubi hadn't known. All of the new details coming out about his parents were a little overwhelming. He could only nod for fear of letting more emotions swell up.

"They . . . Your parents used to come here often. Not as frequently as you and your friends, of course," Teuchi smiled, gaining back some of his natural warmth, "But frequently enough for me to get to know them. Your mother was one of my first regular customers, as a matter of fact. Business was slow after we opened some . . . Ah, how long as it been, dear?"

"Almost thirty-four years, dad," Ayame said as she passed by with a tray of uncooked noodles. "Honestly, I've hardly been alive for half of that time and I remember better than you."

"Bah, you're young. Have mercy on your poor father's memory." Teuchi chuckled, turning back to Naruto. "Anyway, for the first few years business was a bit slow. But when Kushina moved here from Whirlpool Country, she started coming just about every other day. She'd always order salt ramen," he laughed, leaning back against the nearby wall. "You're a lot like her, you know. Strong willed, passionate, and very kind despite the circumstances you've had to deal with for your entire life. You don't quite have your mother's fiery disposition, but you can get boisterous when you want to. Not so much so these days, I guess." Naruto gave the old man an appreciative smile.

"She brought Minato here on what I gather was their first date, much like you brought Hinata here a few years ago." He winked, and Naruto flushed. "Oh their relationship was something else. She would always talk his ear off and he'd just sit there listening, patient and understanding. People used to say that they never understood what he saw in her, but he most certainly saw something he loved.

"As they grew up and took on more responsibilities I saw them less, of course. They still came by between missions, though, always together. I think I was one of the first to know about Kushina's pregnancy. Those two were absolutely glowing when they told me they were expecting a child. They would talk about their hopes for you, Naruto, and their plans as a family." He stopped for a few seconds when Naruto couldn't suppress a small sob, which he did his best to disguise as a cough. Teuchi's eyes softened further as he continued. "Even before you were born they loved you with all of the devotion that only parents have to their children. I can see now that you've inherited Kushina's heart and mind, and your father's body and ability. I know they would be proud of you, Naruto-kun."

"Thank you," Naruto got out after a moment, once again wiping at his eyes. He couldn't think of anything else to say. "Thank you, Teuchi-san."

"I'm just glad to finally be able to tell you," Teuchi said graciously. "There's one last thing, though." Naruto looked up at him, his cheeks still slightly wet. The man reached into his coat and drew out a folded red cloth, extending his arm to offer it to the boy. "Your mother went through a phase around your age where she wore a red headband very similar to yours. She got mad and took it off one day when Minato teased her about it, and she accidentally left it here. I tried returning it on multiple occasions, but I think she was too embarrassed to take it back. I eventually forgot about it, but now I think you should have it. It's not much, but it's at least one keepsake of hers." Naruto was speechless. While Teuchi had said that it was basically of little significance, it meant the world to him. He reached out and took the simple length of cloth, carefully unfolding and staring down at it for a long while.

"I . . ." he started, trying to find the right words. Teuchi smiled and nodded at him, accepting the unspoken thanks.

"Don't mention it. I'm just glad that this old man can be of some help to you finally. Now, how about that bowl of ramen?"

Naruto was silent for a time. He untied his hitai-ate and the violet cloth he had always kept beneath, reverently replacing the latter with his mother's old article. The two crimson tails trailed down between his shoulder blades just like the other had, but for some inexplicable reason this one felt . . . right, and somehow more comfortable. He tied his forehead protector in place again, the faint smile from earlier back on his lips.

"I think I'll have some salt ramen this time, Teuchi-san."

* * *

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* * *

It had been a long day for Team Seven. After Naruto had left Ichiraku he had gone back to train, and though his ability to break out of genjutsu had improved he still lacked the skill that Sasuke and Hinata possessed. While he had been away with Jiraiya they had both managed to break free of the Insanity technique. Naruto was a quick learner, but by the end of their session he still couldn't get the hang of it. Chakra control had never been his forte, and though he had improved immensely over the year it wasn't enough.

"Alright, that's enough for today," Kakashi told them as dusk started to set in. "Naruto, I want you to do chakra control exercises every day while you're gone. Being able to recognize and break yourself out of advanced genjutsu is a necessity for an adept shinobi."

"I know," Naruto groaned, massaging his aching temples. "I will, sensei." He didn't even think of complaining about the new training. They had all asked their instructor to train them harder in the aftermath of the attack, and Kakashi had certainly accepted the request. It was hard, but he knew it was important, especially if he wanted to be as strong as his dad one day.

"I've never had a headache this bad," Sasuke muttered as they walked back towards the village. "I'm pretty sure half of it is from having my brain messed with so many times, and the other half is from one of you punching me."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I didn't mean to," she replied, looking genuinely distraught. "It still took me too long to break it after I figured out how."

"Hey, you can still free yourself faster than I can, and I'm the one with the Sharingan," he joked, shaking his head. "And don't worry about not getting it yet, Naruto. I can always stick a kunai in your foot if you take too long."

"I'm sure you would, too," Naruto said with a smirk. "I'll get it eventually. For now I just have to settle with being able to kick your ass at everything else."

"Uh huh." Sasuke was clearly unconvinced, but there were more important things to talk about. Their fake egos would have to wait. "What kind of techniques did Jiraiya-sensei say he'd teach you while you're gone?"

"He didn't say anything specific, but if my dad used them I'm sure they're awesome. I just hope I don't have to be gone too long." He didn't glance aside to Hinata when he spoke, but he gave her hand a brief squeeze. She returned it before speaking, purposefully skirting that particular topic.

"The Yondaime was known as Konoha's Yellow Flash, wasn't he? I remember learning about him at the academy. During the Third World War, enemies were given flee-on-sight orders if he was on the battlefield." Hinata flushed lightly when her two companions blinked over at her. "What? You two had the same classes that I did."

"That doesn't mean we paid any attention in _history,_" Sasuke said dismissively. "But was he really that strong?"

"Jiraiya-sensei said he was the strongest shinobi of his time, and maybe ever," Naruto said with a proud grin. "He invented a lot of his own jutsu that don't need hand seals – like the Rasengan – and he was apparently faster than lightning, or something like that."

"That's not even possible," Sasuke replied, putting his hands up defensively when Naruto frowned at him. "Hey, I'm just saying that nothing moves faster than light. Lots of people have tried, but even a shinobi's body has its limits."

"I guess." The blond didn't seem to want to admit that his father couldn't have lived up to his fame. "But I mean, summoning stuff makes it move faster, right?"

"Technically," Hinata inserted. "It doesn't move, though. It just gets transported from one place to another instantly. I remember my father going over space-time ninjutsu, and he described it as making a hole in reality in two places, then pulling something through it."

"That sounds weird." Naruto's face was scrunched up a little, like he was trying to picture it in his mind. "Really weird. Anyway, I'm sure he really did it." Sasuke shrugged, and Hinata nodded confidently. They walked the rest of the way to Iruka's together, giving Naruto suggestions on what to bring along for the trip and planning things to do when he got back. Sasuke bid them farewell at their building, promising to meet them at the gate in the morning.

It was dark in the apartment when Naruto and Hinata entered. The place was empty, which was odd for this time of day. Normally they would find Iruka busy in the kitchen, starting on the evening's meal and welcoming their assistance.

"I guess he got held up today," Naruto pondered aloud as they finished checking around. "Want to get started on dinner before he gets back? We should make all of our favorite foods, since I won't be here for a while!"

"We should," Hinata said with a bright smile. "I'll start on um . . . Iruka-sensei likes grilled chicken and steamed vegetables, right? And do we have anything for a sashimi dish?"

"Yeah, I got some squid this morning. Iruka-sensei loves squid, so that'll be great. I'll make the miso soup, and I'll try to make the zenzai again, but after last time . . ." He made a face, and Hinata had to suppress a giggle. "Well, it's your favorite, so I'll do my best."

"It's one of yours too, and I liked it last time!" she insisted, turning on the stove and reaching for the wok. When she had first learned of Naruto's other favorite food – months before they had begun living together – it had given her a bit of joy to know that they shared something else in common.

"You're just saying that," Naruto grumbled, though there was little conviction in his tone. "But thanks." He grinned and stole a quick kiss before getting to work on the red bean soup, also trying to stealthily prepare what he knew was Hinata's other beloved dish.

Iruka came home to the savory aromas drifting from the kitchen, as well as the constant chatter between his two charges. Despite the long, arduous day he had experienced, the chuunin smiled. He had never anticipated that adopting one child – and taking in a second – would result in such joys as coming back to a lively home. It was something he thought about often nowadays. _A real family, huh?_

"You two are unbelievable," he sighed, shaking his head at Naruto and Hinata as he entered. "I smell . . . My favorite chicken recipe?" Hinata beamed at him. "I don't remember teaching you that."

"I watched you make it once," she admitted, looking a little guilty. "Naruto wanted us to have our favorites tonight."

"What's the occasion?" Iruka asked, walking automatically to the rice maker. "I see you're even making zenzai, and are those . . .?"

"I'm leaving with Jiraiya-sensei on a mission," Naruto said quickly, eyes flickering to see if Hinata had glanced back at him. He relaxed a little when she didn't, quietly slipping a tray into the oven. "I might be gone for two weeks, so I wanted us to eat a great meal together."

"I see." Iruka kept himself from frowning as he set the rice to cook, realizing afterwards that they had everything else covered already. He sank into a chair by the table, thinking. "Make sure you don't forget anything, and be safe."

"I will; you don't have to worry about me, Iruka-sensei. We're just going to find Jiraiya-sensei's friend Tsunade." Iruka looked up at him sharply, eyes calculating. He had heard rumors about the Hokage stepping down – and about his potential successor – but this information more or less confirmed it.

"I'll worry about what I want to," Iruka teased in response, readopting a grin. Naruto made an impudent face back at him, but he didn't mind. _I'll always worry, Naruto._

Dinner was a success in Naruto's book. The main course consisted of the standard bowl of rice accompanied by miso soup and three traditional sides: squid sashimi, grilled chicken, and steamed seasoned vegetables. They had the sweet red bean soup for dessert, which – to Naruto's delight – received much praise. Luckily for him the strong smells around the kitchen had masked his surprise for Hinata. He left the table to withdraw the baking sheet from the oven, and when he presented the cinnamon rolls Hinata's eyes lit up. Iruka could only laugh as she thanked Naruto, who looked simultaneously embarrassed and entirely too pleased with himself.

"Ah . . ." Iruka sighed, stretching in his chair and patting his stomach. "That might have been the best meal I've had in years. Thank you both very much."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Hinata said with a glowing smile as she and Naruto gathered the dishes. Before long they had all retired to the living room, relaxing for a while and talking about their days. It was as pleasant an evening as any of them could have asked for.

"I should get to bed," Iruka said after a time, covering a yawn with one hand. "I need to be up to see you off in the morning before I head to the academy." Naruto and Hinata bid him a goodnight as he stepped to the door, though he paused for a moment and narrowed his eyes back at the pair. "You'd better let him get enough sleep, Hinata." Her cheeks turned red even though she knew that his comment was made in jest, and she nodded dutifully. "Good. Sleep well you two."

Hinata and Naruto took care of the dishes before taking turns bathing, and it wasn't long before they had changed and were back in the now dark living room. His normal sleeping attire consisted of a simple t-shirt and a pair of shorts, while hers alternated between a nightgown and one similar to his own. Tonight she wore one of Naruto's shirts and a pair of capris, an outfit that she would never have dreamed of wearing in front of him even a few weeks prior. But as she curled up with him on the couch, it only felt comfortable.

"I'll miss you," Hinata said quietly after a long while, forcing herself not to feel terribly self-conscious about the simple statement. She wasn't about to let things go unsaid after all that had happened. She knew that it logically made sense to be honest, but it didn't stop her from fidgeting with his hand.

"It won't be for too long," he assured, though when she didn't respond for a few seconds he added, "But I'll miss you, too."

"I just . . ." She bit her lip, closing her eyes and willing the harsh images away. "I can't stop thinking about when you . . ." Unable to finish the sentence, Hinata lapsed back into silence. Naruto pulled her a little closer, nuzzling the top of her head as it came to rest just below his chin.

"It'll be okay. I'll have Jiraiya-sensei with me all the time, too."

"But the Hokage said that Akatsuki might be looking for you. Isn't it unsafe for you to leave the village right now?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "I mean, if they're as strong as he said they are then they could probably get into the village anyway. At least this way I'll have one – maybe even two – of the Sannin nearby, right?"

"I guess so . . ." Nothing would convince her not to worry, but she did have to hold back a small laugh at a particular thought. _I never thought about what having a jinchuuriki for a boyfriend would be like. _She realized that living with this concern might have to be the norm, but at the same time she trusted and had confidence in Naruto. The nightmares of his death would go away eventually.

* * *

/*\

* * *

It was a lively group that came to see Naruto off in the morning. Somebody had told Team Gai about it, and Tenten had taken it upon herself to inform the rest of their friends. All of the Konoha Twelve were there, along with Haku, Kakashi, and Iruka. Neji even showed up, looking as somber as usual.

"Guys, it's not like I'm leaving for a really long time," Naruto laughed, rubbing at the back of his neck. "What's with the sendoff?"

"Ino dragged Chouji and me here," Shikamaru said dryly, earning a glare from the blonde girl.

"Is it not appropriate behavior to see a comrade off on a journey?" Shino questioned, what could be seen of his face a blank mask.

"Yeah!" Kiba and Sakura said together, staring daggers at one another a breath later.

"Do your best, Naruto-kun!" Lee exclaimed, giving Naruto his signature gleaming smile and thumbs-up.

"Oh, Lee," Tenten sighed, rolling her eyes. She smirked and draped her arms around Hinata's shoulders from behind, winking at Naruto. "You'd better come home quick or _somebody's_ gonna get lonely. Who knows? Maybe I'll see if she'll go out with me instead."

"T-Tenten-chan!" Hinata squeaked, blushing furiously. Everybody – except for Sasuke and Shino, of course – laughed, which only made her more embarrassed.

"I'm just kidding; everybody knows you two lovebirds are inseparable." That didn't do much to assuage Hinata's flush, but Tenten did let her go. "Don't worry, Naruto; I'll make sure to take your place while you're gone. Platonically, of course." She afforded him another mischievous wink before Jiraiya cut in.

"Alright, that's enough of that," the Sannin scolded, turning towards the open gate. "I want to make it to Shukuba by noon."

"Yes, sensei," Naruto said obediently. He did a half-turn to follow after, then stopped and glanced back at Hinata. She blinked at him, and his cheeks colored to match his new headband. He quickly mustered enough courage to step over and just barely brush his lips against her cheek, turning to sprint after Jiraiya before she could even react. All around her their friends whistled and cheered. It was a bit too much for the poor girl to handle.

"Whoa there," Tenten laughed, catching Hinata as she teetered backwards. The young Hyuuga was practically glowing red. A small battle fan appeared in Tenten's hand in a puff of smoke, and she used it to coax some air towards Hinata. "That's a little dramatic for a peck on your cheek. Besides, there's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I-I'm not embarrassed," Hinata insisted feebly, straightening and trying to get a handle on the butterflies trying to escape her stomach.

"Sure, and I like wearing pink," Sasuke remarked coolly. Haku giggled, and even Kakashi cracked a small grin behind his mask. Hinata struggled to find an appropriate response, failed, then spun to lead the way stiffly out of the dispersing group.

"You guys are mean," Iruka chuckled. "I take it there haven't been many public displays of affection between those two yet?"

"More like none," Sasuke corrected, slipping his hands into his pockets and starting with his team back towards town. "About all anybody's seen before today was the way their hands are constantly glued together."

"Somebody sounds jealous," Haku said mildly, earning him a flat look from his friend. He only smiled back innocently, though when Sasuke seemed to be looking past him he raised an eyebrow and turned to look as well. Team Gai was just disappearing around a corner, but Team Eight was still sharing the street with them. Haku had to stop himself from frowning when he realized who Sasuke was looking at. "Kakashi-senpai said we don't have to meet for training until ten today." He made sure to keep his voice perfectly neutral.

"Since when did I cease being your instructor?" Kakashi asked amusedly. Haku blanched and ducked his head, earning him a satisfied nod from his 'senpai.'

"I'll meet you there," Sasuke said calmly, breaking away from the group. Neither Kakashi nor Haku glanced back or wondered what he was up to, but Iruka and Hinata both watched curiously as he approached Kurenai's team. Sakura spotted him on the way over and flushed lightly, excusing herself and breaking off to meet him.

"Not training this morning, Sasuke-kun?" she said by way of greeting.

"Kakashi-sensei is meeting with some of the other jounin this morning, so we won't start until ten. Join me for a walk?" Sakura nodded emphatically, clasping her hands behind her back and falling into step beside Sasuke. It was remarkable to her how natural such things had become in the short time since the second exam. They had only been on two dates, but they had also spoken a great deal more recently than ever before.

"How's your training going?" she asked, walking with him towards a path that ran along the outer wall. If there was one thing he could always talk about, it was his training.

"Pretty well. Kakashi-sensei has had us training with genjutsu lately. More recently he's been making us learn how to break free of techniques that directly affect the mind, ones that make us physically incapable of forming hand seals."

"Like the Binding technique?"

"That was what we started with, but he's been using one of the Demonic Illusion ones – he calls it Insanity." Sasuke blinked and looked around when he realized that Sakura was no longer next to him a few steps later. He looked back to find her staring at him, clearly aghast.

"I've seen Kurenai-sensei use that once, on one of our missions," she started, shivering at the recollection. "Two rogue shinobi attacked while we were doing routine border patrol. I don't think they were very strong, but sensei didn't take any chances. They . . . Well . . ."

"They killed each other?" Sasuke offered blandly. Sakura shivered again.

"Yeah, one of them anyway. She finished off the other when the jutsu was released. Kakashi-sensei used that on _you_?" He shrugged, nodding forward in an attempt to get her walking again. Only when her feet began to move did he respond, keeping his tone nonchalant.

"I think it was a milder form, but yeah. He used it on all of us at once and had us try to break it while fighting one another. He didn't let us get hurt," he added, noting the distressed expression she had taken on.

"I know all of the teams are training a lot harder since the exams, but that's . . . That's pretty harsh, and he shouldn't expect genin to be able to–"

"Dispel it? Hinata and I can both do it now, and Naruto isn't far behind." Sakura balked and missed a step, and Sasuke misinterpreted it as her surprise at Naruto's lack of progress. "Genjutsu is his weak point, so I don't expect him to ever be good at countering it. But at least the Kyuubi always lets him know if he's under an illusory technique."

"Right, the Kyuubi," she responded faintly, shaking her head. "Shikamaru was right. You three are on a whole different level. I guess it makes sense, with your and Hinata's bloodlines and Naruto with that . . . Fox."

"It doesn't have anything to do with kekkei genkai or bijuu." Sasuke voice was firm, but not harsh. They'd been over this once before, and he knew she didn't mean anything by it. "We've trained for most of our lives, harder than anybody else. The only difference between us and the rest of our peers is that we each have a drive that makes us want to be stronger."

"Doesn't everybody?" The question from the kunoichi sounded patronizing, and once again Sasuke felt his patience being tested. He was reminded why the other dates hadn't really been fantastic.

"What's yours?" he asked.

"I want to protect the village," Sakura answered almost immediately, putting in a more recent addition right after, "And I want to be more useful to my team. I realized that I wasn't really ready to be a ninja after leaving the academy, and I need to make up for that."

"That's not a bad thing to want; neither of those are. But – no offense – the first was just an automatic response, wasn't it? It's what we were taught in the academy." She opened her mouth to object, thought for a second, and then closed it again. He was right. "And it's admirable that you want to be stronger for your team; that's how we all started. But we just call that friendship." Sakura blinked at him, not quite understanding the difference yet. "Kurenai probably had you all state your goals on your first day as a team, right?" She nodded, flushing. Sasuke had to stop himself from rolling his eyes; he had a pretty good idea what her 'goal' had been back then. "You didn't really have a true aim for your life at that point, did you? And do you now?"

"Not . . . Really, I guess. I always thought that if I followed the lessons and did my duty as a shinobi, then that would be enough." Sasuke only shook his head, stopping on the bridge that Team Seven often used as a meeting spot. He leaned on the railing, looking down into the water. Sakura joined him after a moment, afraid to touch on the natural next topic. "Itachi?" She had asked as gently and as quietly as she could, but he still visibly tensed, then nodded.

"That was my first kick into serious training. The second was Naruto and Hinata, to be strong enough to protect them." She said nothing, waiting for the implied question to be answered. Sasuke smirked sideways at her. "And their reasons aren't mine to share, although I'm pretty sure the whole village knows Naruto's from his antics years ago."

"To be the 'best Hokage there ever was', right?" Sakura giggled, though her good humor died down almost as quickly as it came. "I don't really know him very well . . . But he seems so confident all of the time. I can see why Hinata's always liked him, though he looks kind of scary now after what happened."

"He's still the same old Naruto. Loud, way too friendly, eternally optimistic, et cetera." Sasuke smiled despite himself. "People have always thought poorly of him because of something he had no control over. After he and Kur – ah, the Kyuubi saved the village last week, people only found new reasons to dislike him. But even if he can get annoying sometimes, he'd do anything for his friends, and for the village."

"I wish our team were as close as yours," Sakura sighed, flicking a splinter from the railing into the stream. "Kiba and I only seem to argue all the time, and Shino isn't interested in much outside of his bugs; he hardly speaks most days."

"Kiba's an Inuzuka, and Shino's an Aburame. Did you expect them to be much different than their clans?"

"I guess not. I just wish we could be a little closer, I suppose."

"How often do you train?" Sasuke's question was a simple one, but Sakura raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"A few hours a day, then maybe a mission if there's one for us. Why?" Sasuke shrugged, pushing off of the railing.

"Pretty much from the beginning of our time at the academy, the three of us have trained together. Not only that, but we all had reason to train for hours on end, every day. On off days we'd frequently go from dawn until dusk, only stopping for a few breaks to eat. But you all know that, so why do you wonder why we're so close? I'm sure if you tried cooperating with Kiba and engaging Shino in more conversations, they'd come around. When in doubt, you could always train more." His hands found his pockets and he began sauntering down the path again, followed closely by Sakura. She seemed a touch despondent after that, falling silent for a long while.

"Do you ever get jealous of Naruto and Hinata?" she asked finally.

"How so?" He knew 'how so', but the question had to be asked for propriety's sake.

"You know 'how so.'" She also knew that he knew 'how so'. Perhaps they had spent a bit too much time together lately.

"Not really," he shrugged. It wasn't something he wanted to talk about. But then, what had he intended to talk about when he had invited her on a walk? "I don't mind giving them their alone time. I've got plenty of training to do, plus Haku's been getting pretty good at Shogi and Go. He's fun to hang out with."

"But you're not . . . interested in that kind of thing?"

_Here we go. _"What kind of thing?"

"You can quit being coy any time," Sakura huffed, though she managed to do it in a manner that didn't seem haughty. Instead it came off as somewhat playful. "You've asked me on two dates now, and we've been talking more recently. You haven't thought about it at all?"

"I think I liked it better when you were obsessive and clueless," Sasuke muttered, earning him a flat look. He put up his hands in a conciliatory gesture, shrugging immediately after and rubbing at the back of his neck. "I guess so. I just can't see myself in that kind of relationship."

"Why not?"

_Why not your face? _"I'm not exactly the touchy-feely type like those two are, and I'm not sure if you noticed but I don't have the broadest range of expressions. Naruto likes to point out how dull I am at every opportunity."

"You don't have to be like them, or have the same kind of bond with somebody. And I don't think you're dull," she continued, and it was only when she had gotten fairly close that Sasuke realized that they had stopped at the center of the wooded path. "I think you're just quiet, serious, and maybe a little cold, but I can tell by the way you care for your friends that you have a good heart." She came nearer still, allowing him to notice just how big and beautifully green her eyes were. "You can't just lead a girl on and not expect her to get curious, Sasuke-kun . . . ."

"I'm not . . ." he started, wondering where his usual insouciance had gone. He instinctively took a step back, but she countered with a step forward. His Sharingan activated of its own accord – he told himself it had nothing to do with his increased heart rate. This promenade was not going as planned. Or was it? He was second guessing himself now, which was never a good sign. There was a strange sensation in his gut – something akin to fluttering.

"You're not . . . ?" Sakura asked innocently, her face mere centimeters from his as she looked up into his eyes. For a long moment Sasuke just stared, dumbfounded at how he had been so boldly maneuvered into this position. It had been so smooth that he hadn't even noticed. Had she done it on purpose, or had the conversation just flowed in this direction? Her lips looked so enticing, and his head was feeling fuzzy.

_Fuck it._

* * *

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* * *

Two cloaked figures stood overlooking Konoha, their faces shrouded by plain sugegasa tilted forward over their eyes. Their black cloaks shifted in the gentle breeze, and the red clouds adorning the garments seemed a little like the real thing. The taller of the pair wore a yellow ring on his left ring finger, over skin far too pallid and clammy to be normal. The other wore a similar piece on his right ring finger, its color a deep red. They stood atop the Hokage monument just above the Yondaime's stone face.

"The Kyuubi won't be easy to subdue, Itachi," the tall man droned in an odd accent, his voice a touch gravelly. He tilted his straw hat up a bit, squinting down and around at the city. "From the looks of the village and the area to the north, I'd say the jinchuuriki really did transform. Could be dangerous."

"Perhaps, but if our information is accurate then we know how to engage him."

"Yeah, yeah, you and your eye tricks. Let's get going already; Samehada is getting hungry." Itachi said nothing, his impassive eyes gazing across the village – his old home. He lingered for a fraction of a second on the abandoned Uchiha compound, then vanished a second later. Kisame followed suit, holding a devious smile all the while. Akatsuki was on the hunt.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Heya folks. Hope you're all doing well!

No important notes for this chapter that I can think of, except to thank Rhi and the rest of you of course. Thank you for reading and reviewing, and for all of the follows and favorites! It's always encouraging to see that people are enjoying the story. Much appreciation to/for Rhi also; I occasionally go into uncharted territory without telling her (like in this chapter), so thanks for putting up with me!

Still looking for an artist, FYI! D:

See you next time!

- Wes


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